Naruto: Journey to Now Part I
by ArbyMaster458
Summary: A reboot that takes place after Road to Journey to Now, follow Naruto's story as he slowly discovers what sort of person he wants to be. Part I focuses on the months Naruto has in Konoha before leaving again. Goes up all the way until the Sasuke Retrieval Arc and maybe some other arcs along the way. No official pairings. (Universe-458)(Extended Universe)(Multiple Crossovers)
1. Chapter 1

**Note: This is part of a big universe shared by several series, like Arrowverse, the MCU, and maybe more. Naruto's not the only hero out there. You may hear some mentions and references at some points in this and maybe the next chapters.**

 **It's difficult on what I should post it was. There was Ninja Gaiden, but there were no characters to assign from the series, given that most are from DOA, and not many people are willing to check the anime x-over, game x-over, and x-over sections. There was also the idea of putting it in the Naruto section, but since it's a large crossover...no.**

 **This may not be FIREBRAND, or as long as FIREBRAND, it's my own little take of Naruto, starting from Part 1 and working my way up. This is a brand new Naruto, with his own personality that's hard to understand, and easy to hate, but grow to tolerate and like.**

 **It was hard to figure out how Naruto would and should act in this. But ultimately, it came to him being a bit uncaring, maybe even cold, but once you get to know him, he's an actually a pretty cool guy you can trust and make friends with. I drew inspiration from the main characters of the Persona series, mainly the third protagonist.**

* * *

 _"Years ago, a Nine-Tailed Fox suddenly appeared. Its tails lashed out smashing mountains and sending tidal waves crashing to the Ninja rose up to defend their villages. One Shinobi faced the Nine-Tailed Fox in mortal combat. He sacrificed his life to capture the beast, and seal it in a human body. This Ninja was known as the Fourth Hokage. The vessel he sealed the monster_ inside _was a baby boy named Naruto Uzumaki, a boy who wants to uncover who he is and forge his own path and overwrite his destiny."_

* * *

 **OP1: Overwhelming Vivid Days by Nanami Yoshi**

 **Konohagakure**

 **Hokage Residence**

"As I've said several times over, I'm not smiling," said an annoyed Naruto, who he was in the process of getting his picture taken, his arms cross, left foot tapping the floor constantly.

"Come on, it's my job. Plus, you've been holding up the line for 10 minutes." Looking over the photographer's shoulder, he saw a line of young, angry, and annoyed shinobi telling him to hurry up.

"If anything, you're holding up the line. Just take the picture so I can go." With a sigh, the photographer relents before taking the blond's picture. "Wasn't that hard, was it?" Finished, Naruto dispersed into a white cloud, revealing himself to be a clone, surprising the others.

 **Hokage Office**

"How was your photo?" asked Ayane, sitting on a chair on the real Naruto's left.

"Photographer wanted me to smile. Made it difficult before he took it."

"When do you smile?" Ayane turned a bit red when he told her he was smiling now. "I swear, you're back and forth with being happy or just being a prick."

"So are you, except you smile less," Naruto countered.

"Ahem!" The two stop talking as they focus their attention on the Third Hokage, who wanted to talk to them about Mizuki. "As you're aware, Mizuki was apprehended 9 hours ago, pinned to a tree by one of his large shurikens, his right arm sliced off. I know it was you two who did it." **(Road to Journey to Now)**

"He was about to go off with the scroll that belonged to the First Hokage if Ayane and I didn't decide to go after him ourselves," Naruto responds.

"...While I don't approve of the two of you acting independently like that, I can at least thank you for stopping him. I'll let you both off with a warning, just don't do that again." The Hokage frowned when Naruto said, "No promises."

"I mean it Naruto."

"...Fine. Now, there's another matter we need to discuss Old Man."

"What matter?"

"Me being the Kyuubi's host." The Third Hokage's eyes widened when Naruto revealed what Mizuki told him. "So you know?"

"Yes, I am aware of it now. A secret the village swore to never mention. A secret you kept from me," Naruto told him, a reserved but calm expression on his face.

"...You're old enough to know it seems. It wasn't supposed to be this way. The Fourth wanted you to be seen as a hero who saved the village. However, the villagers were unable to follow his wishes, seeing as how many loved ones were lost during its attacks. For that...I am truly sorry for keeping this from you."

"...You did what you had to do to keep me safe and the villagers safe. I should be angry at you, furious even, but...that was over twelve years ago so...I accept your apology," said Naruto, surprising the Third. "Well, I have to go, I'm meeting someone-" As the two young ninjas were about to get up, they notice the door behind them creaked open before a young boy forcefully pushed it all the way open and yelled, "On guard, ol' man! Right?!"

As the kid rushed at the Third Hokage, the kid trips on his own scarf, making him fall on his face. Looking at the kid, Naruto thought, **"If it's not one thing it's another…"**

Rushing in was a man with black sunglasses enters the room, asking for an "honored grandson". Looking down at the kid, Naruto pointed at him and asked the man, "Is this the honored grandson you're looking for?"

"Aha, so you tripped me! It was you! Right?!" yelled the kid as he got up and pointed at Naruto.

"It's rude to point," Naruto told him, narrowing his eyes at the kid, intimidating him, noting the seriousness in the blond's eyes. "Especially when it's at someone not guilty until proven otherwise. Also, you fell because you tripped on your own scarf." Looking up at the Third, he asked him if he and Ayane could go. With a nod of approval from the Third, the two get up and leave.

 **Village Streets**

"I'll go report to Master Ryu and get ready for another meeting with the elders," Ayane informed Naruto, who simply nodded and told her to be safe.

"...Naruto?"

"Yes, Ayane?"

"About..." Hesitating a bit, the purple-haired kunoichi said, "Never mind," before running off, confusing the blond. Alone, Naruto takes out his headphones and plays some music as he makes his way to Ramen Ichiraku to meet Hinata, aware that the kid from earlier was following him. Making his way to the ramen restaurant, he stops when three boys his age approached him, wondering what business they had with him. One of them tells him there was no way he passed his exams and that he didn't deserve the headband he was wearing. Without saying a word, Naruto simply walked past them and continued on, ignoring the three.

"Hey, are you listening to us!?" Without turning around, he tapped on his headphones, letting them know he wasn't listening or was simply ignoring them. This served to anger them as they ran to attack him. Not perceiving them as threats, and without taking his hands out of his jacket pockets, Naruto effortlessly dodged their punches and kicks, maneuvering over them, making them hit each other and tiring them out. The kid who followed Naruto looked on, amazed by his swiftness, as well as his ability to stay calm despite the "fight" being 1 v 3.

 **"He beat them without even touching them!"**

"Pathetic..." Naruto told the three boys as he menacingly looked down on them, scaring them before leaving them in their cowardly state.

 **Ramen Ichiraku**

"Apologies for the lateness, Hinata," Naruto told the blue-haired girl as he took a seat to her left.

"It's fine Naruto, I wasn't waiting long," Hinata responds. With a smile, she said, "We're officially Genin now..."

"Yeah...You worked very hard Hinata." This earned a blushing smile from the girl as her friend and crush praised her. The kid who followed Naruto tensed up when the blond Genin called him out saying, "You can come out. I know you're hiding behind that post." Coming out, he asked, "You knew?"

"What do you think?" Once the kid came out of his hiding spot, Naruto asked him why he was following him. "I...I want to be your disciple!"

"...What?"

"Make me your disciple! Teach me your skills!"

"...You have some explaining to do. First, let me eat with my friend and-" Naruto stops when the kid's stomach growls.

 **Hokage's Office**

"Blast it! Where is he this time…?" asked the man in sunglass, now known as Ebisu.

"It would appear that he followed Naruto."

"Naruto? That's awful!" he yelled. "I must go after him!"

"I think he'll be fine. Just leave him to Naruto, Ebisu."

"What!? You can't seriously mean that Lord Hokage!" Hiruzen tells Ebisu Konohamaru could learn a thing or two from the blond. Unconvinced, Ebisu goes after Konohamaru.

 **30 bowls of ramen later...**

"You want to be my disciple so you can take the quickest way towards becoming Hokage?" asked Naruto, having finished hearing the boy known as Konohamaru out, with Hinata finishing her 40th bowl of ramen.

"Yes, with someone as strong as you, I'm sure having you as my teacher will increase my chances of beating that old man and becoming Hokage," Konohamaru responds, a determined smile on his face.

"...No." This response of Naruto's caused Konohamaru to fall off his seat.

"I knew he was going to say that," said a lightly smiling Hinata, finishing her bowl.

"But why!?"

"I'm not teaching someone who takes the short path towards his goals," Naruto responds, narrowing his eyes at the kid as he pays for his, Konohamaru's, and Hinata's meals. "Let's go Hinata."

"Okay," said the blue-haired girl as she followed him with a smile.

 **Hidden Leaf Shopping Mall**

"Naruto, don't you think you were harsh towards Konohamaru?" asked Hinata as she looked around for casual clothes to buy for herself and for Naruto.

"There are no shortcuts. Same with you, same with me," Naruto answered as he followed behind. "Besides...I get the feeling there's more to his reason."

"There's more?" asked the Hyuga girl. Naruto simply nodded. "Like what?"

"The reason he wants to be Hokage so bad...It may be for attention. Or..."

"...I think you should go talk to him about it." When asked why, she told him, "He's just a kid, Naruto. They won't give always give you an honest full answer. You were like that, and you still are." Naruto felt a bit annoyed when Hinata compared him to Konohamaru, though he wouldn't tell her that and ruin the mood. "I think you should confront him. Who knows, he might surprise you."

"You think?"

"I just know, like how I knew you were a nice person when we first had lunch together and became friends."

"...I'll go see him after we're done shopping."

 **"You may act like you don't care about others, and you may act tough, but I know, deep down, you're a kind person at heart, Naruto."** Hinata thought to herself, a smile on her face. Looking at her, Naruto asked her what she was thinking. "Nothing...Nothing at all."

 **Village Streets**

 **"I am part of the elite, one in a long and illustrious line of tutors who have prepared countless candidates for a possible future as next Lord Hokage."** Ebisu thought to himself as he walked through the streets of Konoha. **"I will crush any insect that dares cling to my student! Under my tutelage, your future as Lord Hokage is assured."**

 **Hidden Leaf Forest**

Searching for Konohamaru, Naruto finds the kid training alone, slightly impressed by his devotion to training. Thinking to himself, Naruto wondered how many times Hinata was right. As Konohamaru stopped to catch his breath, the blond made himself known as he slowly walked towards him.

"Hey..."

"What do you want?" Konohamaru rudely asked.

"...You training?"

"Yes, what of it?"

"...Come, I'll buy you a drink," said Naruto, confusing the kid. Sitting at a bench, Naruto has himself an orange soda while Konohamaru drinks cola. "What's your beef with the old man?" he asked, surprising the kid. "I'll hear you out, but you have to be truthful about it."

"...My name- Konohamaru… My grandfather named me, like the village, right. He said it would bring me luck…" Hearing this, Naruto snickered a bit, something the kid noticed. "Are you laughing!?"

"Sorry, Sorry, I couldn't help it," said Naruto.

"And here I thought you were incapable of laughing," Konohamaru told the blond.

"It's rude to assume things. But what do I know? I'm a big hypocrite," he told him, resuming his blank expression. "Go ahead, continue."

"...But even though everyone in the village knows that is what I'm called…No one ever calls me that. It's always just "Honored Grandson." No one ever sees me for who I am…Just who I'm related to. And I hate it! But it'll be different when I become Lord Hokage, and that's gonna be real soon!"

"...You really are a kid," said Naruto, finishing the soda in his hand.

"What?"

"Who'd respect a Hokage like you?" This reply shocked Konohamaru as Naruto went on. "It's too big a name for such a little kid."

"What!?"

"You're an idiot to think that it'd be easy to win the title of Hokage. You don't get it just because you want it. Everybody and I do mean everybody, has the highest respect for the Hokage name. There are no shortcuts in life. If you want to become Hokage that badly, you have to earn it. It's a title of great responsibility that requires commitment and hard work. Your heart is in the right place, and I know you're determined to reach your goals, but if you keep on taking the short path, you're going nowhere."

"How...How do you know this?" asked Konohamaru.

"You want to know how I'm as strong as I am now?" asked Naruto, with Konohamaru answering with a nod. "I was like you once, wanting to get strong as soon as possible. I was stubborn, angry, short-tempered even, but with help from my "First Master", she showed me the right way of things, helped me attain strength I never had before, helped me be a better version of myself. It took me four years of training under her and others to get this strength."

"Really?"

"Had I stayed how I was before I met her, I may as well end up like those three kids from earlier. For that, I am forever grateful to those who trained me. You understand where I'm going with this?" Looking down at his can, Konohamaru told Naruto he understood him.

"There's another reason why I can't teach you."

"There is?" asked a surprised Konohamaru.

"I'm still learning myself. I still have goals I want to achieve. For that, I must focus on my own training, becoming better at my own pace, even if it's just a little," Naruto replied.

"So that's why..."

"...If you want to train under me..." Konohamaru's mood brightened when Naruto started talking about the possibility of making him his disciple. "Give yourself 2-3 years. You have a sensei who wants to help you become Hokage. Give him a chance, just establish some ground rules with him. He may listen to you. Don't give him a hard time. After you become a Genin in a few years, I might show you a technique, but that's all I'll do. Is that okay with you?"

"Yes, I can do that," said a smiling Konohamaru. "I'll be sure to work hard so I can be your apprentice. Also...thanks for the ramen, and for talking to me about...you know..."

"No problem...Konohamaru." The kid's eyes went wide as Naruto called him by his name. "Catch you later." Finished with his talk, Naruto puts on his headphones and leaves. Watching him walk away, Konohamaru smiled as he called Naruto cool. Hidden on top of a tree, Ebisu, having heard Naruto's talk with his student, changed his opinion of the blond genin.

 **Village Streets**

Walking past several people as he listened to his tunes, Naruto noticed Ayane waiting for him. Asking if he kept her waiting, she told him, "You're actually 2 minutes early."

"How was the meeting?" asked Naruto, with the purple-haired kunoichi telling him how pointless it was, mainly since the village elders and Danzo were at it, demanding things from the Mugen Tenshin Clan, the Hayabusa Clan, and the Hinomoto Shrine Priestesses. "Of course, we said no, and that pushing it further would upset the peaceful relations the First, Second, and Fourth Hokages worked so hard to maintain with us."

"I can tell why already."

"How was your day?" asked Ayane.

"Nothing interesting really just had a long talk with a kid who wanted to be my disciple, and I hung out with Hinata."

"Someone wanted to be your disciple? I don't think he'd last long with you as a Master," said Ayane, with Naruto giving her a light smile as he agreed with her. "With the meeting finally over, I guess I should head back home."

"This late? Why don't you stay over at my place until tomorrow?" asked Naruto, surprising Ayane.

"Yo-Your place?" asked the now-blushing kunoichi.

"Sun's going down. I was planning to make dinner at my new place. The Old Man bought it for me the day I got back. Besides, why pay for a hotel when you've got a friend like me?"

"...I'll have to tell Master Ryu first," said the blushing kunoichi.

 **Village Gate**

Waiting on Ayane, Ryu noticed a purple butterfly flying towards him, once it lands in his hands, it transforms into a message written by Ayane, telling him she was staying at Naruto's. This served to amuse him.

"Very well, I'll allow it," he said to himself as he prepared to head back to his home village.

 **Naruto's House**

Entering, Ayane comments on the simple but welcoming atmosphere the house had.

"Thanks, the Third Hokage spent a lot of money building this. I'd say it's a bit much, but I appreciate the work he put in to have it made for me." Entering the kitchen, Naruto asked the purple-haired kunoichi what she wanted for dinner.

"I like fish dishes."

"Got it. Make yourself at home." As Naruto prepared sushi, Ayane directs a sad and worried look towards him.

 **Dinner**

As they were eating, Ayane wanted to talk to Naruto about how he was the Kyuubi's host but was a bit scared that Naruto didn't want to talk about it. Sure, the blond laughed it off when Mizuki revealed the truth of why the village hated him but was he really okay?

"Ayane, is something wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong..." This puzzled Naruto, who was trying to figure out what Ayane wanted. Was it the sushi? Did he prepare the tuna wrong? Or was it the octopus? After finishing dinner, Ayane still struggled with the need to talk to the blond, but still found it difficult, even as he was washing dishes. Naruto definitely knew something was up, but he didn't want to force the girl to tell him, especially since she was a guest at his place. Finally, gathering the courage, she went up to Naruto and hugged him from behind, surprising him as his face turned red from Ayane's actions.

"A...Ayane?"

"Naruto, you're strong, that we're both aware of already, and I know that you're already good with ignoring what others say about you, but at the same time, there has to be a part of you that's affected by what Mizuki and the Third Hokage told you," said Ayane, burying her blushing face into his back.

"So that's what you wanted to talk about."

"I admit, I was angry at that old man for keeping that from you. I wanted to hit him for you. Yet...I couldn't do it. I wanted to, but as you said, he had his reasons. I can't do anything else but this for you, so..."

"...I admit I was a little bit shocked by it, angry even. I knew there was a reason for all the anger towards me. I just...never thought it'd be because the demon fox was inside me," said Naruto. "But now, I finally know."

"Hearing the truth, I can truly understand how lonely you must have felt and...I actually had doubts about your story, until I came here and saw how everyone looked at you. For that, I am sorry for thinking that way."

"I'm glad to hear that from you, Ayane, and I'm happy that you told me. I assure you, I'm fine, really," he told her with a smile.

"M...Mmmm..."

"...Not that I mind, but can you let go please?" asked Naruto.

"Just let me stay like this for a while, okay?"

"Al...Alright."

 **Naruto's Bedroom**

As Ayane was given the bed, Naruto decided to take the floor, preparing a futon as the kunoichi asked him if he was okay with sleeping on the floor.

"Yeah, I'm perfectly fine with it."

"...Tomorrow, you'll be put in a team of three...Work hard, so that one day, you and I can continue our match, okay?" Turning to Ayane, Naruto had a determined smile as he told her, "I will, and you better get stronger as well, Ayane." The two fist-bumped before preparing to fall asleep.

 **The next day**

 **Village Gate**

"Thanks for letting me stay at your place," said Ayane. "I should-"

"Wait." Digging through his pockets, he pulls out a spare house key and hands it to the purple-haired kunoichi. "It's for whenever you stop by."

"Thanks, I'll see you around Naruto." Turning around, Ayane makes her way back to her village, smiling to herself as she looked at the key he gave her. "Idiot..."

 **Ninja Academy**

"Alright students, it's time to assign you your teammates," said Iruka, as the students wondered whose team they were going to be part of.

 **"Teams huh...I wonder whose team I will be o-"**

"Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and Sasuke Uchiha. You three will be assigned to Team 7," Iruka called out.

"...Shit."

 **ED1:** **Self-Inflicted Achromatic (自傷無色)(Cover) by Raon Lee**

* * *

 **Since Road to Journey to Now isn't done, I gave some hints on what to expect for the final chapter of Part 0. This chapter serves to continue the final chapter of RtJtN.**

 **For the headphones, Naruto listens to music to isolate himself from the villagers, a means to go through his day and not care about what people call him and more. If they're going to ignore him and keep some form of distance, Naruto would do the same.**

 **I also like to point out that this Naruto, 458th Universe Naruto, does not want to be Hokage.**


	2. Chapter 2

OP1: Overwhelming Vivid Days by Nanami Yoshi

 **Konohagakure**

 **Ninja Academy**

"NARUTO, MOVE IT! I'M TRYING TO GET AROUND YOU!" yelled Sakura, wanting to sit next to Sasuke.

"No..."

"What do you mean no!?" To her shock, Naruto moves to his left so he's next to Sasuke, telling her, "Because now it's my spot, and I'm not letting you take it."

"Why you-" Throwing a punch, Sakura hoped to hit Naruto. But as usual, Naruto avoids it. This time, the punch was going for Sasuke's cheek, with no time to stop it. Sasuke, seeing this, caught it in his left hand, directing an annoyed look at her. Not wanting to get on his angry side, Sakura backs off as Naruto takes out his headphones and listens to music before class started.

"...Was that really necessary?" Sasuke asked Naruto, the former wanting to be left alone to brood.

"Would you rather have an annoying girl like her next to you or someone who thinks you're an ass whom you can tolerate?" Naruto answered. Sasuke said nothing as he glared at the blond as he listened to his music.

"Alright students, from this day forward, you're no longer students, but full-fledged ninjas. However, among the ranks of the shinobi, you're only Genin. Your greatest challenges all lie ahead. Right now, you will be divided into three-man cells, each of which will be mentored by a Jonin.

 **"Teams huh...I wonder whose team I will be o-"**

"Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, and Sasuke Uchiha. You three will be assigned to Team 7," Iruka called out.

"...Shit."

 **Lunch Time**

"So...Sasuke Uchiha's on your team...and so is Sakura," said Shikamaru as he had lunch with the blond, Hinata, and Shino.

"Don't remind me. Honestly, I'd trade them for any of you three, even Ino," he told them as he ate his salmon bento.

"That's nice to hear. Unfortunately, we can't trade team members," Hinata added.

"Unlike you guys, my team's the new Ino-Shika-Cho, meaning we're always going to be put on the same team. Family tradition and everything."

"Maybe it won't be so bad Naruto. Give it some time, and you'll grow to care for them," Shino told Naruto as he fed some of his parasitic insects.

"I guess I can see myself caring for Sasuke."

"What makes you say that?" asked Hinata.

 **Earlier**

As Naruto made his way to have lunch with Hinata, Shikamaru, and Shino, he overheard Sakura talking to Sasuke.

"He always comes between us. It's probably because he never had any parents. He doesn't have to answer to anyone, ever, and it made him completely selfish. He just goes around with that ridiculous calm and uncaring face of his, listening to music, pissing people off with insults and horrible jokes and trying to let people know he's better than them, though he can never be better than you of course," she told her crush, unaware that Naruto was listening in on her. "I honestly hoped that he would be gone forever. I mean, 4 years out of the village felt like yesterday."

 _"Geez, you never hold anything back..."_ Naruto whispered to himself, annoyed, as he continued to listen on.

"If I did the things he gets away with, my parents would ground me for life. Don't you envy him being alone, not having parents nagging you all the time?"

"You...make me sick," Sasuke told the girl, surprising her and the hidden Naruto. "I didn't know anything about him, until now. I may not like him, but I can understand his reason for acting the way he is now. Because people like you made him that way." Finished, Sasuke walks away from her as Naruto processed what happened. Sasuke, the supposed asshole he took him for, actually stood up for him.

 **Now**

"He actually stood up for someone? I find it hard to believe that a guy like Sasuke Uchiha told off someone," Shikamaru said in disbelief.

"Well, it happened. I only hope that he does this more often," Naruto added, finishing his lunch. "That was good. Hard to believe Ayane made this before she left."

"Ayane made you that?" asked Hinata, a little bit jealous.

"Yeah, I had her stay at my place and-"

"You had a girl at your place!?" Shikamaru interrupts.

"Well yeah. What's the big deal? I have her stay at my place, and she thanked me by making me a bento. It's not like some celebrity showed up and gave me a million dollars."

"You really can be an idiot sometimes, Naruto," said Shino, Shikamaru nodding in agreement. the blond wondering why he called him that.

"So who's this Ayane?" asked a curious Shikamaru, adding the question, "Is she your secret girlfriend?"

 **"Gi-Girlfriend!?"** Hinata yelled in her mind.

"What!? No, it's not like that." Naruto told him. "She's only a girl I just became friends with is all..."

"I'd like to meet her."

"Good luck with that, she went home," Naruto told the Nara boy, who then asked, "Are you sure you're not dating her? I mean, there's a thing called long-distant re-"

"Don't make me slap your lunch to the ground."

"You won't do that," said a smiling Shikamaru.

"...Dammit."

 **After School**

 **Hyuuga Residence**

Naruto parried Neji's three gentle fist strikes before performing a Brazilian Kick. The Hyuga male ducks it, though he is caught off guard by an uppercut that would've connected, had Naruto not stopped.

"I win this match. That makes it 37-36," he told Neji, the latter smiling as he praised his friend's fighting style. "Your Gentle Fist has improved since 4 years ago."

"Your fighting has improved as well, Naruto. Who was your master?" he asked. Blushing, Naruto told him, "A...girl I liked...Used to...Feelings for her are still present, but dialed down."

"A girl?"

"You'd be surprised by the way she moves. There's also another person I trained with, but I don't want to talk about "him," said Naruto, referring to an "irregular magician".

"How strong is he?" asked Neji.

"Think me and you combined, but a hundred times better," Naruto responds, the answer shocking Neji.

"That strong!?"

"Still is...Has a cute younger sister, though he is very protective of her..."

"I can't imagine winning against someone like that," Neji admits, Naruto agreeing with him 100%. "...Thank you for agreeing to come spar with me."

"Have to keep ourselves in shape and in top form," Naruto told him as they shook hands.

"Tomorrow, you're meeting with your Jonin, am I right?"

"Yeah..."

"Do you think you'll get along with your squadmates?"

"Hard to say. Sasuke, I can see myself reluctantly working well with him. Sakura...I can go on with her flaws. I can even write a paper on it. She is going to be a very tough cookie."

"Like you were with Hinata?" asked a smiling Neji, Naruto having no comeback for the burn he received.

"How many times are you guys going to bring that up?" he asked, raising a brow, Neji responding with, "As many times as we need to in order to remind you of what you were like before, and to never be like that again."

"Usually people would say, "as many times as we have to,"...I wasn't expecting that," said Naruto.

"Give them some time to sort themselves out. It was the same for my team, it'll be the same for you."

"That's what Hinata tells me." Neji simply smiled at this.

"Neji, dinner's ready!" Hinata called out. "Naruto, come and join us before you go."

"Me?" asked Naruto, pointing to himself.

"It'll be fine. Come join us." Though a bit hesitant, he agreed to have dinner with them.

 **Dinner Time**

"So you're Naruto Uzumaki..." Naruto, despite, putting on his calm face, was a bit nervous for reasons he couldn't understand when he came face to face with Hinata's father, Hiashi, his wife Yoshiko, and Hanabi.

"Nice to meet you, sir."

"Come, have a seat with us." Nodding, Naruto sat next to Hinata and Neji as Hiashi took a seat next to his wife, and Hanabi **(11-years old)**. They were having udon for dinner, readying their chopsticks as they prepared to dig in. Silently they ate, Naruto wondering if he should say something.

"Uzumaki..." Hearing Hiashi call his name, Naruto stopped his chopsticks as he looked up to see what the head of the Hyuga Clan wanted to tell him. "My wife and I never had the chance to thank you for being my daughter's friend. She...She's always been quiet and by herself, unable to stand up for herself. But after meeting you, we've seen a lot of improvement from her and...we hope that you continue to be her friend."

"I will make sure to do a good job at it," Naruto promised, making Hinata smile.

"Oh, my husband watched you fight Neji earlier. Do you think you can spar with Neji and Hinata whenever you come by?" asked Yoshiko. "Uh sure, I can swing by sometime and spar with them." After having dinner with the Hyugas, Naruto thanked them for having him over before heading home for two hours of training in the backyard and getting some rest after.

 **The next day**

 **Unknown Building**

As the three wait for their squad captain to arrive, Naruto listens to music as usual while Sakura lovingly stares at Sasuke.

 **"Nothing but silence with us three..."** Finally, their sensei showed up in a burst of white smoke.

"Sorry, I'm late. An old lady needed help carrying her bags and I couldn't say no," he told them, though they weren't convinced. "Now, how about we do introductions? Let's start with the girl with pink hair. Tell me anything you want us to know about yourself.

"Why don't you tell us about yourself first?" asked Naruto.

"Fair enough. My name's Kakashi Hatake. I have no desire to tell you my likes and dislikes… My dreams for the future… Hmm… As for my hobbies… I have lots of hobbies…"

"That's not a lot to go by," said Sakura.

"Now that I've told you about myself, let's start with the girl. Name, likes and dislikes, dreams, and hobbies."

"My name is Sakura Haruno. I like...Looking Sasuke, she blushed. "...My dreams are"...Again, she blushed a bit before she got angry and said, "I hate Naruto."

"Good for you, I'm sure we'll get along just fine," Naruto told her, applauding, the girl forming an annoyed look on her face. He was making it aware that he was mocking her.

"What about you?" said Kakashi, focusing on the blond. "Tell us about yourself."

"My name's Naruto Uzumaki. I like exploring places I've never been to before, meeting people, and listening to music, oh and training, I like to train. My dream's...I guess I don't have a dream at the moment, but if I had to pick one, it'd be to...find myself and my place in this world. What I hate? I'm keeping that to myself."

"Okay, and you there, wearing blue, tell me your name and things about you."

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I hate a lot of things, and I don't particularly like anything. What I have is not a dream, because I will make it a reality. I'm going to restore my clan, and kill a certain someone."

 **"He is so cool..."** Sakura thought to herself as she looked at Sasuke.

"And the award for "Most Edgy Introduction" is Sasuke Uchiha." The Uchiha glared at Naruto. "Sorry, it's a force of habit. I apologize."

 **"Another dysfunctional team..."** Kakashi thought to himself. Now that we're done with introductions, formal training begins tomorrow beginning with survival exercises. You 3 are to come to the training grounds tomorrow at 9:00 am sharp. And you're to not eat breakfast. Also, there's a 2% chance of passing this exercise. If you fail, it's back to the academy for you. I hope to see your skills tomorrow. Later." Finished, Kakashi used the Body Flicker Technique to disappear.

"...Alright, later." To their surprise, Naruto turned out to be a shadow clone the whole time they were waiting.

"If he was a clone...Where's the real Naruto?" asked Sakura.

 **Naruto's House**

 **Backyard Zen Garden**

 **Several minutes ago**

Resting on his porch, Naruto had been meditating since 9 o' clock, for the past two hours. As he trained his mind along with his control over his own chakra, he remembered one of Rin's lessons.

 **Flashback**

 **Over a year ago**

"You've persevered through my training, and for that, I am proud of you, Naruto." Blushing, the blond thanked Rin for being his teacher. "Now that you've completed my training, I think it's time that I let you in on a secret."

"What sort of secret, Kujou-senpai?"

"You want to know how I've been able to react faster than you, despite your amazing abilities?" Naruto raised a brow, curious about what she's going to reveal.

"There is a power, inside those who have mastered spiritual and mental refinement. One not meant to win, but to grow in skill, protect others, and overcome evil."

"A power to protect others and overcome evil?"

"Yes, and it's one even I haven't mastered, even with all my training." Naruto looked surprised when Rin told him she was unable to attain the power she spoke of. "Most of your training was meant to master your spirit and mind. I've also been helping you free your mind of fear, anger, pride, and ego, all to help you when the time comes for you to realize this power," Rin explained.

"And you did a fine job at it," Naruto added, earning a smile from her.

"However, even with all the training you've done under my tutelage, you're not completely ready for it. I don't know how, but...there is so much darkness surrounding you, it worries me. I've done all I can to help you. The next step depends on you."

"Where should I start?"

"I'm afraid I can't answer that question. The answer lies inside of you and the choices you make from here on...I just hope you make the right ones. It'll be tough for you, but I know you'll get through it."

 **Now**

 **"Looking back, the darkness she mentioned must have been the Nine-Tailed Fox inside of me...Just how am I supposed to overcome it, Kujou-senpai?"** As he was meditating, he receives his clone's memories, smiling a bit from his clone's interactions with his teammates and their squad captain.

"Not bad Clone Me..." Naruto opens his eyes as he hears the door ring. He decides to stop his training for a bit before getting up and heading inside so he can find out who was at the door. To his surprise, it's The Third Hokage.

"What brings you here Old Man?"

"Can't I visit once in a while?" he asked with a smile. With a sigh, Naruto lets him in.

 **Kitchen**

"What do you think of your captain?"

"There's not much to go by. All I know is that his name is Kakashi Hatake, he dresses up as a scarecrow and that his personal life is none of our business," said Naruto as he pours tea into a cup and hands it to him. "You came here to talk to me about him?"

"A bit, yes. I'm just curious about what you have in mind for tomorrow," he told the blond.

"Simple, I'm going to train all day, build some traps and weapons after dinner, go to bed, and pray that my "team" and I can pass together. Though I don't see us working together right off the bat." The Third smiles a bit when Naruto took notice of the one problem he'll face tomorrow.

"You think you can get them to cooperate with you?"

"Wouldn't know...Let's talk about something else."

"Alright, let's start with that Ayane girl from the Mugen Tenshin Clan." Naruto turned red when he mentioned a certain purple-haired kunoichi. "Other than Iruka, Hinata Hyuga, and Shikamaru Nara, she is the fourth person you've fully expressed yourself to."

"Sixth." When asked who the fourth and fifth were, he told him, "I don't want to talk about it."

"Very well...It's nice to know that you and her are friends. Keep making them Naruto. I know you enough to tell that you're going to need to make a lot of them," he told the blond. When asked why, he told him, "Just a feeling. Now...What do you plan to make for lunch before I go?" His eyes widening, he turned to the clock and realized that it was lunchtime.

"You just came here to eat my cooking, didn't you?" asked Naruto.

"Sorry Naruto, but you're cooking is always the best. I always look forward to having it once in a while."

"...Chicken Nanban."

 **Nighttime**

 **Basement**

This was one of the ways Naruto could relax. Just him, several tools and parts, and blueprints for a gadget, with his music speakers at full blast. He was currently in the process of making **Tech Shurikens**. While they may look like ordinary throwing stars, they had a few added effects that would catch almost anyone off guard. He would have to e-mail Tatsuya later and thank him for helping him work out flaws in the blueprints, and for giving him some ideas for a "new suit". Finished with making a fair amount of tech shurikens **(20)** , he decided to begin work for his collapsible bow.

 **Morning**

Hearing his phone go off, Naruto, drooling a bit, woke up at his desk. He must've dozed off after completing the bow and got started on making the arrows, managing to make 15 of them. Looking at his phone, he found himself with 90 minutes to spare.

"I have time to shower, get dressed, and eat breakfast, and watch some anime while I'm at it." He was aware that Kakashi told them no breakfast. But, following his gut, Naruto knew having something to eat would save him some trouble.

 **Training Fields**

 **9:55 am**

"YOU'RE 55 MINUTES LATE!" yelled Sakura.

"Sorry, a kid lost his dog and I had to look for it," he told them. "Did you 3 bring your lunches?" With the exception of Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke packed theirs. "Alright, now give them to me." Once Sasuke and Sakura give Kakashi their lunch, the latter sets them on top of a log and takes out two bells from his pocket.

"Alright, time to get started. See these 2 bells in my hands?"

"What about them?" asked Sasuke.

"You three are to snatch these bells from me before noon. If you snatch one from me, you get lunch. If you can't, I'll tie one of you to one of those logs and eat your lunch in front of you."

"Is that why you didn't want us to eat breakfast!?" Sakura yelled.

"You're not a rooster, keep it down," Naruto told the girl, who told him to shut it while holding the urge to throw a punch at him. **"I dodged a bullet with eating eggs and bacon before I got here."** Turning to Kakashi, he asked him if they were to work together to grab the bells.

"Very good observation. Attack me as if I'm your enemy. Don't hold anything back." Sasuke smirked when Kakashi gave them the okay to go all out as Sakura protested.

"But...But that's so dangerous!" Hearing Sakura say that, Naruto got serious as he turned to her to speak his mind.

"Dangerous? Dangerous huh...At some point, we'll be out doing missions with lives, even our own, on the line. Our enemies don't care if it's dangerous or not, and neither should you..." Hearing Naruto tell her this, Sakura, despite the blond speaking to in his calm tone, became scared of him. "I don't have qualms about killing, and neither does our sensei or anyone we may face in the future. Either you stand your ground and fight or lay on the floor and die."

"Umm, thanks for explaining things Naruto. Now on the count of three, we will start. 1...2...3." Immediately, the three Genin split up, Kakashi wondering who he should go after first.

 **30 minutes later**

After they had separated, Sakura got caught in a basic genjutsu that involved a brutally maimed Sasuke, screaming at the top of her lungs before passing out. Sasuke got buried from the neck down after fighting the Jonin one on one for a good 10 minutes, managing to touch a bell. As for Naruto, he was simply meditating as he waits for Kakashi to come to him while forming a strategy, having sent clones to observe the pink-haired girl and the Uchiha. A total of 30 scenarios played in his head, three of them being victories for himself. However, that could change at any moment during battle. He could remember the advice that detective woman gave him during their first and only meeting with each other.

 ** _"No matter who you're up against, and no matter how much power you've obtained, never_** ** _underestimate your enemies. Even if victory is within your grasps, it could change at any moment. If you don't think far ahead, you WILL lose."_ \- Kirigiri (25-years old) to Naruto (12-years old)**

Hearing footsteps, Naruto opens his eyes as he got up and made eye contact with Kakashi. The Jonin took notice of how unusually calm the blond was.

"Would've thought Sasuke would at least get one of them himself."

"Were you just waiting to be the only one left? Aren't you arrog-"

"Don't just assume things. I know you're strong, and that stealing a bell or both from you will be problematic for me and the other two. Unlike Sasuke, you won't be hearing any boasting from me," Naruto calmly interrupts as he quickly throws a shuriken at him, the Jonin quickly catching it between his fingers.

The shuriken opens up, revealing several miniature light panels that quickly flashed a bright light in front of Kakashi, both surprising and blinding him as Naruto closed the distance and aimed a palm thrust to the Jonin's chest. However, as soon as he hits Kakashi, the latter turned into white smoke.

"A clone, huh..." Quickly, Naruto turns around as Kakashi, on a large branch of a tree, throws four kunais at him and avoids them. Taking out his bow, Naruto fired a chakra-enhanced arrow at him. The Jonin uses the Body Flicker Technique to avoid it. With his bow, the blond twirls it counterclockwise to knock away 3 shurikens hurled at him. Putting away his weapon, Naruto checked his surroundings for Kakashi.

"That shuriken you threw...You made that, didn't you?" asked Kakashi as his voice echoed around him.

"Maybe I know someone who made it for me..." Sensing Kakashi, Naruto jumps back before his hand rises from the ground to grab him. Forming a compressed ball of wind **(Wind Release: Air Grenade)** , Naruto throws it just as he lands on a branch. The technique blows the ground up upon impact.

"Right here," said Kakashi, appearing behind the blond. Throwing a back-fist strike, Naruto's left fist is caught by Kakashi's right hand. "Got you."

"You think so?" asked Naruto as he poofed in front of him.

 **"A CLONE!?"** The real Naruto quickly runs at him and throws a right knee kick at Kakashi, the latter blocking it with his left hand. After the first attack fails, Naruto quickly caught Kakashi's left kick before countering with a chakra-enhanced cartwheel kick, hitting Kakashi in the face, surprising the Jonin as he's left vulnerable for the genin to grab the bells. As he reached his hand out to grab them, Naruto, seeing a certain book in his pouch, decides not to grab them as Kakashi recovers and distanced himself from the blond before using the Body Flicker Technique to get away.

"He retreated..." With a sigh, he figured he'd go look for his teammates.

"EEEYAAGH! SASUKE'S HEAD HAS BEEN SEVERED!" With another sigh, Naruto quickly made his way to his teammates, finding Sasuke stuck in the ground, and a passed out Sakura.

"You need help?" asked Naruto. Sasuke refuses to get help from his teammate as he struggles to move. With a sigh, Naruto goes over to him and punched the ground, freeing him. Angry, Sasuke grabs him by his jacket and tells him he didn't need help. "A thank you would be nice, ya know?"

"Just shut up and wake up Sakura, idiot."

"I was about to do that, asshole." Sasuke does not respond as Naruto taps Sakura's forehead, waking her up.

"Huh...What?" Looking at Sasuke, a relieved Sakura gets up to hug him, telling him how glad she was that he was fine, annoying the Uchiha, who asked that she let go of him. After Sakura removed her arms from him, Sasuke prepares to walk off to find Kakashi.

"Where do you think you're going?" asked Naruto.

"We have an hour left before it's noon. I'm facing him."

"Yeah, no. Not going to happen," said Naruto.

"Unlike you two, I got close enough to touch one of them. The next fight, I'll take them both," Sasuke argued.

"Do you honestly believe you or any of us can get one or all of those bells by ourselves?" Naruto asked, leaving out the part where he allowed Kakashi to escape.

"I don't need help from any of you, I can get them both without your-" Immediately Sasuke is interrupted by a punch to the face by Naruto, surprising him and angering Sakura.

"Naruto, how dare you-"

"Shut it for just a few damn minutes Sakura!" Naruto yelled, keeping the girl quiet. "Think Sasuke, why are there only two bells instead of three?"

"Because only two of us can-"

"Wrong, he wants us to only think about which one of us goes without lunch. He wants us to get greedy," he told the Uchiha before focusing his attention on Sakura. "Sakura, Sasuke's not the only person you should've focused on. You had no idea where he was when we split up. You could've looked for me as well. I'm your teammate, not some lost cause." Sakura looked away in shame as Naruto refocused his attention on Sasuke.

"Sasuke, I have no doubt that you'd be able to grab those bells, but we need them bells too, not just you. You played solo, like me, and failed. We need to work as a team to grab them. Forget if one of us doesn't get one. I don't care whose hand grabs them, we just need to work together to pass. I hate both of you, and you guys definitely hate my guts. But I will put aside my disdain towards you both if it means all three of us pass." After Naruto finished speaking his mind, Sasuke and Sakura, with a sigh, agree to work together as a team to grab the bells.

"We should form a plan," said Sasuke.

"No need, I have one."

 **10 minutes later**

 **"40 minutes left...Will they make it?"** Kakashi wondered. Before he could go search for them, the Jonin senses Sasuke, who attacks with a Fireball Jutsu. Kakashi jumps up to a tree to avoid the attack. However, the branch he's on is covered in paper bombs, which explode. Kakashi manages to avoid the trap by jumping to another tree.

"That's my cue," Naruto told himself as he punched a tree, causing it to tip over. "Timber!" Naruto yelled as he placed an explosive tag on the broken end of the tree, sending it flying towards Kakashi, hitting him and sending him crashing to the ground.

"Did that tree just-" Kakashi doesn't get to finish as Sakura throws a shuriken to cut a string keeping a hidden log trap in place. The log sends Kakashi flying into a tree. Aiming his bow, Naruto shows an arrow that traps the Jonin's right arm in a sticky substance that adheres itself onto the tree behind him.

"Get them! Sasuke! Sakura!" Quickly, the two rush towards Kakashi and reached their hands out. As they get closer, Naruto noticed Kakashi preparing to escape. Anticipating this, Naruto yells, "Icha Icha Innocence, Chapter 7: Alone With You!"

 **"WHAT!? He...knows about the next chapter!? I didn't read chapter 6!"** Kakashi thought to himself as he used his available arm to try and cover his ears to avoid Naruto spoiling his book.

"He never expected to take refuge in the village's love hotel with her. As Haruna took a shower in-"

 **"Oh no, he's going to spoil it for me! I must-"**

"Sensei..." Opening his eyes, Kakashi sees Sakura and Sasuke in front of him, each holding a bell in their hands. "You...You two-"

"Knew that'd leave an opening," said Naruto as he went over to his teammates.

"...That was dirty Naruto."

"I know, Sensei, but if I didn't, Sasuke and Sakura wouldn't have been able to grab the bells."

"...Fair enough...You managed to take the bells from me, and you did it as a team. This is the first time a team like you three worked together."

"Does this mean we pass?" asked Sakura.

"Well, you three did come at me at full force so...yes, all three of you pass. Now, how do you get out of this sticky trap?"

"I got it." Naruto goes over and heats the substance, hardening it enough for him to break their sensei free.

"Thanks..." Immediately after, Kakashi punched Naruto hard in the face, shocking Sasuke and Sakura. Unfazed, Naruto admits that he deserved it.

"Wait, if you allow Kakashi-sensei to punch you, I deserve o-"

"Not in your life," Naruto tells her, adding how there was no way in hell he was giving her that satisfaction.

"You three can go now. However, I must tell you one last thing." Kakashi tells the three of the importance of working as a team, and how, as a team, they're stronger than one single person, and to never forget the importance of teamwork. "It's important that you care for and support your teammate, for those who don't...are lower than garbage." The three take the lesson to heart before they leave one by one. As the blond is about to go, Kakashi stops him.

"Need something?" he asked his sensei.

"You could've gotten the bells yourself, but you didn't..." Kakashi told him. "You knew, didn't you?"

"I'm not sure I know what you mean..." he told Kakashi. Looking at him, Kakashi could tell he was playing dumb. But if someone else were to ask him, that calm expression of his would definitely fool them.

"I guess I'll never know..." said Kakashi. "...Make-Out Innocence. How did you know about that chapter?"

"Oh, that? Well..."

 **Unnamed Konoha Bar**

Kakashi takes a seat next to a semi-drunk Jiraiya at the bar as he orders a drink and a side of edamame.

"Never thought I'd see you here this early...Kakashi," he told him with a smile as he sipped some sake.

"Hello to you as well, Master Jiraiya...I finished the training exercise with Naruto. He passed." Jiraiya looks at him, amused, before asking him how he was. "He doesn't really smile. Other than that, he's observant and well-trained, managing to lay a pretty good kick to my face. I can still feel it a bit. He's definitely not like his parents." Jiraiya drunkenly laughed as he boasts how well Rin taught Naruto."I swear, his personality has become even calmer and serious thanks to having her as a teacher. Like him, she almost never smiles ." As the semi-drunk Jiraiya explained everything to him, Kakashi wondered what sort of people he had Naruto hang with.

"He also told me that he wrote a few chapters for Icha Icha Innocence."

"Oh, that? He's a natural at it. I was really surprised when he wrote chapter 7 for me. I even had him write for the next two chapters after. If I couldn't continue the series, I would have Naruto continue it for me. He has what it takes, I swear," said Jiraiya, preparing to fill his cup, only to find his sake bottle empty. "Another round please?" he asked the female bartender, who simply sighed before she went to get another bottle.

"...Please make sure to take good care of Naruto while I'm gone."

"Akatsuki?" Jiraiya simply nodded. "Don't worry, I'll keep my eye on him. He's my master's son after all."

 **Naruto's House**

 **Backyard Zen Garden**

As Naruto meditates in his backyard, a young pale-skinned woman, wearing a purple dress, with red eyes and white curled hair watched over him from behind, holding a floating magical orb. Sensing her presence, Naruto abruptly opens his eyes and turns around, only to see no one. Right after, the bell rings. Entering his home and walking towards the front door, he opens it to see Hinata with a pizza she made from home and two bottles of soda.

"We both passed our training exercises so...do you mind if we celebrate it together?" she asked Naruto, who tells her he doesn't mind and lets her in.

 **ED1: Self-Inflicted Achromatic (自傷無色)(Cover) by Raon Lee**

* * *

 **So Naruto's now part of a team. A team he does not like, but will tolerate and, hopefully, grow to care for.**

 **I would also like to add, after a review by a Guest, that Naruto never had a crush on Sakura in this universe. Road of Journey to Now will confirm this in a chapter. It never exists in the 458th Universe. Also like to add that Sakura may slowly develop as a character, bit by bit, it just takes a while to get there. I mean, I hated Sasuke, but after his redemption in the canon series, I like him now. Like Dale and Red from Pineapple Express.**

 **Yes, Rin's the reason Naruto has that personality. She's his master, his first crush, and a big influence. She gets referenced a few times. The power Rin mentions is not Ultra Instinct. Goku can have that. This is a power some may be familiar with, but if not, I'm letting you guys figure it out.**

 **Yes, Tatsuya Shiba is the strongest person Naruto has ever faced, never being able to best the irregular magician in combat. He also teaches Naruto, though his lessons are pretty rough. At least Naruto survived it, despite getting an ass whooping.**

 **Kyouko Kirigiri makes a short mention, giving a young Naruto advice a few days after he turned 12. Kirigiri will have her own story, which will take place before Road to Journey to Now, revealing some things I want to keep in the dark that will be important.**

 **It took me a while to figure out where to end the story and how to do the fight between Naruto and Kakashi. It was a bit rushed because I didn't really want to re-tell Sakura passing out from a genjutsu or Sasuke's fight with Kakashi since we've seen/read it so many times.**

 **Naruto really dislikes Sakura. However, maybe they might get along as time passes? Or not. For Sasuke, he can tolerate him a bit, though as it states in the chapter, he still thinks he's an ass.**

 **Ayane might not make an appearance until the Chunin Exams. For now, she may only have mentions.**

 **As for the woman...She is Viola of Soulcalibur V and will be of very great importance in the events to come in the future.**


	3. Chapter 3

**OP1: Overwhelming Vivid Days by Nanami Yoshi**

"You were about to spoil a chapter he hasn't read in order to let his guard down?"

"Yeah, that really saved us." Hinata laughed when Naruto confirmed it.

"So you ghostwrote for Jiraiya huh...Never took you for a writer," said Hinata, Naruto telling her some of Pervy Sage's chapters were cliche and that he wanted to put his own spin on them. He didn't think it'd actually improve the sales. "At least you get paid without having to do anything."

"What about you? How did yours go?"

"Shino, Kiba, and I managed to pass ours within 30 minutes." Naruto was surprised to hear this. She did way better than him on her survival exercise. "...You're not going to be here long, are you?"

"Yeah...Plan to go to a university in California to study. Some kids my age and I took a test and passed with flying colors, allowing us to enroll at an American college or university of our choosing and study. I'll be gone for about 2 1/2 years, maybe 3, come back, and then..." Hinata wondered what he was about to say. However, he didn't finish and instead, told her, "Let's just leave it at that for now..."

 **"What was he about to say?"** After finishing the pizza and talking about missions they might be doing with their teams, Hinata decided she should go home.

"...Hinata."

"Yes?"

"...Your hair...You should try growing it. I think it'd look good on you." Hinata found herself blushing when Naruto casually told her she'd look good with long hair. "I mean, your hair is fine as it is. It's just a suggestion."

"I'll...I'll consider growing it long if I decide to change it up," she told him with a smile before leaving.

 **Three Weeks (And 9 D-Rank Missions) Later**

"Your next mission is-"

"Old Man, I think a mission that's not about catching a cat and/or an escaped animal that's not feline is in order," Naruto interrupts. "I want to do a more...exciting mission." This came as a surprise for the Third Hokage. Naruto never asked anything from him, at least until now.

"Naruto, there's no way we can-"

"I know, we're Genin, we only do D-Ranks, but do you think we can get something a bit over D that we can handle?" Naruto interrupts, Sasuke agreeing with the blond without saying anything while Sakura is against this.

"Very well, I'll make an exception just this once and give you a C-Rank Mission, since you never asked for anything from me until now." Turning to Kakashi, the Third tells him to make sure they complete it and that they come home safe.

"Got it."

"...Your mission is to protect a very important client."

"And who's this client supposed to be?" asked Sasuke. His question is answered when a grey-haired bespectacled man entered the room, a large bottle of sake in hand.

"What's this? It's just a bunch of damn kids," said the old man, taking a swig of his bottle after. "The kid in the orange, are you supposed to be a ninja in that ridiculous getup?"

"I can be to deers when it's hunting season," Naruto joked while keeping his expressionless face. The man laughs at his joke as everyone looks on, surprised that the blond made fun of himself and his choice of clothing. The man, after he finished laughing, introduced himself as Tazuna, a veteran bridge builder, who needs them to protect him while completing a bridge.

 **Village Gate**

"When are you not without those things?" asked Kakashi as he saw Naruto put on his headphones and played music on his phone.

"When I'm at home..." Looking beyond the gate, Naruto wondered what lied ahead of the mission as he and Team 7 start their first real mission.

 **3 hours later**

"We're almost there," said Tazuna as Team 7 followed behind. Naruto, being in the way back, took notice of his surroundings, aware that they were being followed. Out of nowhere, Kakashi gets wrapped in a retractable shuriken-styled chain as two masked ninjas appear and forcefully tug the ends back, slicing him to pieces before going after Tazuna, Naruto and Sasuke quickly kicking them away as they prepare to face the two assassins. However, Kakashi, revealed to be alive, knocks them out, having used the Body Flicker Technique to avoid what was supposed to be how he'd die.

"If I remember correctly, they're the Demon Brothers, Missing-nins. To attempt to take Tazuna's life...this is below them," said Kakashi.

"If that's true, then this mission is no ordinary C-Rank...No, rather...it's a B-Rank or higher," Naruto adds, surprising Sakura as she turns to Tazuna. Turning to the bridge builder, Sasuke asked him what he was hiding from them. Tazuna looks down, unable to answer, opting to stay silent.

"This mission is too soon for us. Let's quit," said Sakura. "We should return to-"

"No, we're continuing," said Kakashi, shocking Sakura.

"Too late to turn back now," Naruto adds. "Since we agreed to this mission and saw an attempt on his life, we can't go back now. It might not be so bad. After all, we have Kakashi-sensei." Putting his headphones back on, Naruto and his team continued their escort after Kakashi finished tying up the Demon Brothers and leaving them to be captured.

 **Unknown Hideout**

"The enemy has hired ninjas of tremendous skill! And besides, now that the Demon Brothers have tried and failed, they'll be on guard against further attempts!" Gato yelled, directing his anger towards a shirtless masked man wielding a large sword resembling a knife. The man points his sword at him as he asks his employer to remember who he's talking to.

"I am Zabuza Momochi, one of The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist! I'll deal with them myself if it means shutting you up."

 **1 hour later**

Team 7 and Tazuna sat quietly in a small rowing boat as the rower brought them to the Land of Waves. After minutes of silence, they look up and see the bridge Tazuna's trying to finish. After clearing his throat, Tazuna gets their attention, wanting to be honest with them and tell the truth.

"As you guessed, this job is more dangerous than you and your students were led to believe. You see, there's a man, a really scary one, who wants me dead," he told them.

"Who is he? asked Kakashi.

"He's a billionaire in the field of marine transportation. His name is Gato."

"You mean Gato of Gato Shipping and Transport?" asked Kakashi, surprised by the reveal. "He's one of the richest men in the world."

 **"Don't remember seeing his name on any Forbes magazines..."** Naruto thought to himself, figuring him being one of the richest men in the world was nothing but an exaggeration.

"He now has a stranglehold on all forms of transportation and wealth here. The only thing he has to fear is the completion of the bridge," Tazuna adds.

"So you're the only one who can get in his way," said Sakura. Tazuna only nodded to answer the pink-haired genin's question.

"Why didn't you tell us all this when you asked for help?" Sasuke asked.

"Our land isn't a real prosperous land, Even our local lords are poor...and I have no money at all. An elite ninja would be a lot more than what I can afford..."

"...Money can be a pain huh..." said Naruto. "I get that we need to get paid for a mission like this, but if it were up to us, we'd do it for free."

"You would?" asked Tazuna.

"We're not going to let someone terrorize your land just because you couldn't afford it. It's not right." Hearing this from Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi couldn't help but agree with the blond as Tazuna formally asked them to protect him until the bridge is done.

"That's the mission," said Kakashi. "We'll make sure you and everyone you care about are safe."

 **Land of Waves**

"This mist is pretty thick," said Sasuke, walking in a square formation, Tazuna at the center. As they proceed cautiously, Naruto hears a noise coming from behind that was getting louder as it got closer. Reacting quickly, he spun his body around counterclockwise and kicked a large sword away from them, surprising his teammates as its blade embeds itself into a tree. Looking up, they see Zabuza standing on the handle of the sword, looking down on them with menacing eyes.

"Well, well, if it isn't Zabuza Momochi, the kid who ran off and left the Land of the Mists..." said Kakashi.

 **"Geez, Kakashi-sensei sure knows a lot of people outside the village..."** Naruto thought to himself.

"Kakashi of the Sharingan...If it's no trouble for you, could you surrender that old man?" asked Zabuza. Sasuke had a look of shock as he turns to Kakashi and wondered about his moniker.

"All of you, stay out of this and make sure Tazuna's safe. I'll deal with this one," he told them as the Jonin revealed the Sharingan in his left eye.

"Ahh...This IS an honor...I'm on a very tight schedule to kill the old man. But first, I have to kill you to get to him, Kakashi." After quickly weaving hand signs, Zabuza and his sword vanish right before their eyes.

 ** _"Throat, Spinal column, Lungs, Liver, the Jugular vein, the Subclavian artery... So many choices, what vital, vulnerable place shall I choose?"_** Zabuza asked himself as Team 7 kept their guards up. Sasuke and Sakura looked like they were going to lose it when they felt Zabuza's bloodlust as Naruto and Kakashi kept their cool.

"Don't worry, I'll keep you all safe. I promise," Kakashi assured them.

 ** _"I WOULDN'T BET ON THAT..."_** Out of nowhere, Zabuza appears behind Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura and prepares to strike Tazuna. However, Kakashi reacts fast enough to prevent his attack on the old man as the three Genin and Tazuna move away from the two combatants. Taking out a kunai, Kakashi stabs Zabuza in the gut. However, he turns out to be a water clone as the real Zabuza appears behind Kakashi and bisects him. To his annoyance, he turns out to be a water clone as well, appearing behind the masked swordsman, kunai at his neck.

"Game over, Zabuza," said Kakashi, narrowing his eyes at him.

"Too bad for you, I'm not that easy to fool." To Kakashi's shock, the Zabuza in front of him turns into water as the real one appears from behind and kicks Kakashi into a small pond, trapping him in a water prison jutsu after. "You running around free makes it too hard for me to do my job. I'll finish you later after I've dealt with the others..." With one hand he weaved hand signs to summon another water clone.

"Clothes don't make a ninja. You need skills good enough to rate a listing in my bingo book of enemies...before you deserve to be called ninja. We don't call your kind "ninja." We prefer..." The water clone quickly appears in front Sasuke before knocking him away, putting him out of commission. "brats."

"Sasuke!" Sakura yelled. As Zabuza's water clone prepares to kill Tazuna with a swing of his sword, he finds himself unable to swing it. Turning around, he has a look of shock. Naruto was holding the blade with a tight grip, calmly looking at the clone. The blond then disarmed the clone before punching it with enough force to destroy it, surprising Zabuza.

"I wasn't expecting a mere Genin to destroy one of my water clones." Naruto stared the swordsman down as he wondered what Zabuza had in store for them.

 **[Persona 3 The Movie: #1 Spring of Birth OST - Persona Summoners]**

"Sakura, protect Old Man Tazuna and Sasuke. Leave saving Kakashi to me," Naruto told her as he prepared to fight Zabuza.

"What are you planning do, Naruto?" asked Sakura.

"I plan to show this guy how a brat fights," he told her as Zabuza makes 10 water clones and commands them to attack the blond genin. Naruto dodges a sword strike from a water clone and sends it flying with a palm strike, destroying it before jumping over another one and snapping its neck from behind. The blond then took out a kunai and threw it at another clone's head, catching an attacking clone's sword by the blade after and throws the clone at two other ones, destroying them. With his kunai, Naruto parried an overhead blade strike before stuffing an air grenade into the next clone's stomach, kicking it towards the remaining clones as the technique detonates, blowing them up. Zabuza, unfazed, creates 5 more clones, much to the blond's annoyance.

"You're good, but I wonder how long you can last before you run out of steam." Naruto said nothing as he calmly stares down Zabuza, who tells him he finds the Genin's silence annoying.

 ** _"Naruto, when in battle, you must never blindly rush into battle unless you have a plan. Don't ever rush at an opponent head-on or without a plan. If you stay calm and think ahead, you can overcome any foe."_**

 **"Zabuza is obviously a water element user. The mist is sustained by a source. Either Zabuza or the pond he's standing on. As long as Kakashi-sensei's in that water prison, he'll just use water clones to tire me out. I'll need to separate the real Zabuza from Kakashi-sensei...Sorry Ayane, I might have to borrow a move I saw you use when I watched you fight that Black Spider Ninja who was protecting Mizuki. I was only going to show you later so you could explain it to me, but it seems I'll have to use it to save my team's captain."** Producing three shadow clones, he has them distract Zabuza as he weaved hand signs and began chanting something Zabuza couldn't understand. He could, however, feel a strong aura gathering in front of Naruto.

 **"That's not chakra he's gathering...Could it be?"** Kakashi wondered.

"Namaku Samanda Basara Dan Kan Namaku Samanda Basara-"

"What's he planning? I should stop him before he can finish." Zabuza summons 5 shadow clones to go after Naruto as he continues chanting. The clones prove to be a match for Zabuza's water clone, each of them having the same skill and thought process as the blond and redirecting them so they keep a good distance away from the original.

"Dan Kan Namaku Samanda Basara Dan Kan-" One of Naruto clones get destroyed as one of the two remaining shadow clones destroy two water clones with an air grenade, blowing them up.

"On Amiyo Ken On Basara-" As Naruto nears completion, the two remaining water clones destroy the last two shadow clones before lunging at Naruto. However, the blond finished his chant as he opens his eyes.

"Dato Ban On Basarada Tou! Dou!" Naruto fires a fast traveling but powerful orange fireball **(Ayane's Break Blow from DOA2 and DOA6)** that destroys the water clones and hits Zabuza square in the chest, knocking the swordsman back onto some ground.

 **[Music End]**

With Zabuza knocked away, Kakashi breaks free from the prison. Getting up, looking down to see a burning mark on his chest, an angry Zabuza directs a glare at Naruto.

"A mere Genin, hurt me this bad!? Absurd!" After using the technique, Naruto finds himself exhausted, taking a knee, to his surprise. It was rare for him to be exhausted this early. Whatever he used, it was very taxing, yet Ayane was able to do it without showing signs like he was. Standing in front of the blond, Kakashi told him, "Whatever you used, it helped weaken him greatly. Allow me to do the rest," before preparing to face the now wounded but enraged Zabuza.

Turning to the tired Naruto, the swordsman quickly weaves hand signs before launching a dragon-shaped water projectile **(Water Release: Water Dragon Missile)** at him. It's canceled, however, by Kakashi, using the same technique against him. Before he can weave more hand signs, the chest wound he received from the blond Genin painfully pulsates, stunning him long enough for Kakashi to use Great Waterfall Jutsu to force him back against a tree hard before he felt 4 kunais embed themselves into his flesh.

"I'm ending this." Before Kakashi can deliver the finishing blow, a pair of senbon needles hit Zabuza in the neck, killing him. To everyone's surprise. Looking up to the tree at their left, looking up to see a masked female ninja **(Yes, she's a she in here)** standing on a tall branch before landing safely on the ground in front of the dead Zabuza.

"Thank you for your help. I hope you don't mind my interfering, but I wanted the satisfaction of finishing Zabuza myself," she told them.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but are you a Hunter-nin from Kirigakure?" asked Kakashi, the masked ninja confirming it. "By your size and the timbre of your voice, you're a few years older than my Genin, yet you're already a full-fledged Hunter-nin..."

"That's right. Now if you let me, I'd like to take the body back to Kirigakure." With a nod from Kakashi, the Hunter-nin is allowed to take the body before leaving. With the enemy gone, Sakura checks up on Sasuke, still unconscious from Zabuza's attack. Worried, she wonders out loud about what she should do.

"Maybe if you kiss him, he'll wake up," Naruto joked, with Sakura going for it. However, Sasuke woke up before she could take his first kiss, to her disappointment.

"What happened? Where's Zabuza?" asked Sasuke.

"He got killed by a Hunter-nin, who took his body back to Kirigakure," Naruto told him. This angers Sasuke, who couldn't do anything, remembering how afraid he was when he felt Zabuza's killing intent. Looking at him, Naruto assured him it was okay to be scared. "You don't get it, we're supposed to be ninjas, yet I just let that man scare me and-"

"Sasuke, fear is natural to have. There'll always be a next time for everything. Take this confrontation as the first step to improve, and you'll overcome any obstacle," Kakashi told him, the Uchiha sighing and accepting the outcome of the battle.

"Now that the battle is over...thanks for stopping that man from slicing me in two," said Tazuna, grateful. Covering his Sharingan, Kakashi tells them they should continue the mission before abruptly passing out from overusing his left eye. Following this, Naruto and Sasuke had to carry him over to Tazuna's house.

 **Tazuna's House**

"Will he be alright?" asked Tsunami, Tazuna's 28-year old daughter. Kakashi, bedridden, told her he wasn't but will be in a week.

"The Sharingan is incredible, but doesn't the strain it puts on your body make it worth it?" asked Sakura.

"He's still alive, so I'm sure it's worth it," Tazuna responds. "Take all the time you need. With that Zabuza guy out of the way, you can probably relax for a while."

"Thanks, Tazuna...Where's Sasuke and Naruto?" Sakura tells the Jonin that Sasuke went out to train by himself. Naruto, to Kakashi's surprise, was cooking in the kitchen, having gathered some herbs to use to help him recover and prepare for lunch.

"Naruto cooking...Not something I'm looking forward to..."

 **Elsewhere**

"The Hunter-nin prepares to cut off Zabuza's mouth mask when his eyes shoot open and he caught the girl's hand.

"I can do it myself," he told her as he took the bandages covering his mouth off and took out the senbon in his neck. Zabuza asks her when she plans on keeping her mask on before telling her to take it off.

"Very well," she said, taking it off to reveal her beautiful face. "Better?" Zabuza said nothing as he lets her tend to his wounds. Looking at the burn wound on his chest, she comments on how bad it looked, and that he'll need to rest for a few days, maybe a full week before he was back in top shape. "Next time, will you be all right?"

"Next time, I'll break through that Sharingan of his. That I assure you, Haku."

 **Tazuna's House**

"You mean to tell us that he's alive!?" yelled Sakura.

"Yes, I'm sure of it. If I recall, the Hunter-nins dispose of the bodies right on the spot. But she didn't. Instead, she took it away. If she needed proof, she would only need the head. To think I overlooked that one detail..."

"You...You must be overthinking things," said a worried Tazuna. "Even if he was, I'm sure that you'll be able to beat him the second time."

"Whether he's dead or alive, there may still be more and even deadlier ninja working for Gato."

"Good, because if there's more, I can stretch my legs a bit," said Naruto, coming in with some herbal fish soup.

"Naruto...Did you make that?" Naruto simply nodded as he hands his sensei the food. Smelling it, Kakashi found the aroma to be welcoming.

"Lunch will be done soon."

"I look forward to it," said Kakashi. Turning to Sakura, he tells her that, until he recovers, he will increase everyone's training schedule so they'll be ready for when Zabuza or another enemy shows up.

"Whatever it is, I hope it's not something I-" Naruto stops when he sees a young boy standing at the entrance of the room. "Uhhh, who's he?"

"Welcome home, Grandpa."

"Inari! Where've you been?" asked a happy Tazuna.

"Come greet our guests properly. They're the ninja who brought our grandfather safely home," said Tsunami.

"But Mom, they're all gonna die," said the boy now identified as Inari, changing the atmosphere in the room. "No one can beat Gato and his men."

"I don't know, kid. We handled a shirtless mummy not too long ago. I'm sure we'll take care of whoever Gato will throw at us. After all, heroes always beat the bad guys," said Naruto.

"Hero"? There's no such thing..." he tells the blond.

"Are you sure? I've already seen a few in person so I beg to differ."

"If you don't wanna die, go home now..."

"Not a chance...Inari was it? We're still on a mission, and we're intent on completing it. Until then, you're stuck with us." Saying nothing, Inari leaves to go watch the ocean from his room.

"Forgive my son, he's-"

"It's fine. I understand how he's feeling. With Gato ruling this country and all..." said Kakashi. Turning to Naruto, he asked everyone to leave the room so he could talk with the blond. Turning to Tsunami, he gives her instructions on how to finish his cooking before they leave.

"...So, you know Ninpo?"

"Ninpo? What's that?"

"You're smart but you don't know what Ninpo is?" Naruto tells him he may be smart, but he can't always know everything. "Ninpo is the spiritual and mystical arts of the Ninja. It requires ki to use them."

"Ki?"

"Chakra is a combination of physical and spiritual energy. For Ki, it requires a combination of physical and mental energy. A kid your age would die from using that for the first time, should they not be prepared. Given your physical and mental state, you only got off with some exhaustion...something I'd call lucky."

"That explains it...What can you tell me about ninpo?"

"Only that these ninja arts are powerful and that they've been known to be equal to or surpass the ninjutsu we know. The only ones who can use them are the Fu-Ma Clan, Mugen Tenshin, Hayabusa, Black Spider, and the Warrior Priestesses of Hinomoto...No one in the Hidden Leaf or the Five Great Shinobi Countries has the potential to use Ninpo, yet you're the only one..."

"I'm the only one?" asked Naruto, voicing his surprise.

"Yes, no matter how much we train and how hard we work, we can never learn Ninpo. Not even the Uchiha can use it, even with the Sharingan," Kakashi adds. **"Not even "he" (Orochimaru) could ever hope to learn it..."**

"Will I have to worry about people wanting to learn about it?"

"I don't think so. Even if they were to cut you open to research the many possibilities, they can't hope to use it," he assured Naruto. "May I suggest something Naruto?" Kakashi tells Naruto he should learn how to use Ki from someone who's an expert at it or has the knowledge needed to help him instead of learning it all on his own, or risk possibly killing himself. "You were lucky to use it and live, but I don't think you should use it the second time until you've trained enough to properly utilize ki."

"I can do that. Thanks, Kakashi-sens-"

"Naruto!? The pot is boiling very violently!"

"My jambalaya!" Naruto yelled as he ran out of the room in a panic, once again surprising Kakashi, having witnessed Naruto show worry towards something before wondering how Naruto could possibly be able to use ki.

 **"The only Konoha Ninja to utilize ki...It's likely that one of his parents' relatives or ancestors married into the Hayabusa Clan or was born into it. If so...Either Kushina or Minato knew how to use ki, but weren't aware they could utilize it."**

 **The next day**

 **Afternoon**

While Sasuke and Sakura were being trained by Kakashi, Naruto, having already learned how to control his chakra, had decided to check out the town, seeing it in a state of poverty and depression, clenching his fists as he fought the urge to go after Gato and kill him in cold blood. Minutes later, Naruto decided to go hunt for food and meditate after. Shooting an arrow, he kills a deer before walking over it and praying for it to go on to heaven, taking out a knife and skinning it after before checking the three rabbits he killed and the herbs he gathered. Satisfied with his hunt, he turns around to go back to Tazuna's, stopping when he sees Inari.

"Oh, you followed me...You think you can help carry these rabbits?" Inari said nothing as he turns around and leaves. "...That was rude..."

 **Night**

 **Dinner**

"Are you sure you want to be a ninja instead of a chef?" Tazuna joked as Naruto and his team ate with the old man and his family.

"Cooking is just a hobby and a routine of mine, and yes, I want to be a ninja, but my own kind."

"And what kind is that?" asked Sasuke.

"No comment," he responds as he finished the food in his bowl before asking for seconds. Turning to her right, Sakura noticed a portrait of Tazuna, Tsunami, Inari, and an unknown man, whose image was ripped out of it. The boy was smiling in the picture that was taken.

"Hey Tsunami?"

"What is it?"

"Who's that man in the picture?"

"It's a picture of Inari's father," she told the pink-haired girl.

"Once upon a time, if you will...this land called him a hero." Inari, hearing the word "hero", suddenly gets angry and starts storming off to his room, slamming the door shut.

"FATHER! I told you never to mention that in front of my son!" Tsunami yelled.

"I sense a story coming up. Mind telling us who the man is, Old Man?" asked Naruto.

"...Very well, I'll tell you." Tazuna tells Team 7 all about Kaiza, a fisherman who became the hero of the Land of Waves and a father-figure to Inari. When Gatō arrived, he had Kaiza killed in an attempt to destroy the hope of the land, a strategy that sadly succeeded and traumatized him. To have a father executed in front of his son and every citizen in the Land of Waves made the blond sick. Gatō and his empire had to be brought down.

"I don't want seconds," said Naruto, getting up to go outside and "sleep".

"Are you sure? It's cold outside," Tsunami tells him. The blond does not respond as he closed the front door. During the night when everyone's fast asleep, Naruto puts on a face mask and takes out a scroll, which contains his bow and his tech shurikens. A messenger bird arrives, with a scroll attached to its leg.

"What've you got?" he asked the bird as he takes the scroll off of the bird's leg and reads it. "Shipping routes, Hideouts, List of associates, Money safe locations...Ayane did a great job of gathering data for me."

 **Unnamed Gatou Hideout**

At the good distance away from the entrance, Naruto throws two kunai at the guards standing at the front, hitting them in the head and killing them. Jumping up to the roof, Naruto secretly makes it inside. As he made his way to the entertainment room, he silently killed every thug he encounters before spying on a large area of thugs playing pool from the ceiling.

Naruto throws down a gas bomb as he interrupts their game. The thugs try to take Naruto on, only to have their lives taken by the lone ninja as he breaks bones, crushed heads by slamming them on a wall and/or stomping on them, severed limbs and tendons, and threw bodies through walls and windows. He even ripped a guy's spine and used it as a stabbing weapon for a time. One remaining thug tries to escape, only to have Naruto grab him by the back of his shirt and throw him at a wall.

"Wh-who are you? What are you?" asked the thug, his face full of fear.

"I'm the one who's had enough of people like you terrorizing this land," he told him before throwing the thug at the pool table. The blond quickly grabs the man's head and bangs his face hand on the edge of the pool table. "I'm the one who'll cripple Gatō."

Naruto grabs the thug again and throws him at the bar. The thug grabs a sword and tries to attack the Genin, who caught the blade in his right hand and shatters it before slamming his hand on the table, breaking the thug's humerus after, receiving a scream of pain from the man.

"And you're the one who's going to help me send a message to him. Tell him that karma's coming to bite him in the ass and send him and his empire all to Hell and that this is only just the beginning."

 **ED1: Self-Inflicted Achromatic (自傷無色)(Cover) by Raon Lee**


	4. Chapter 4

**I've been thinking about it, and I will say this: I like Hinata. I've liked her since her first appearance in Naruto. However, there has been several stories of her and Naruto already, and the NaruHina pairing has already been dubbed canon. In the 458th Universe, Naruto probably has no interest in her. At the same time, I'd like him to have some relations with women before finally deciding to go for Ayane. Journey to Now will not end with Naruto ending up with someone. JtN will not be the end of Naruto's story. I may not even have him marry since love is weird. I may even have him enact an Uzumaki Act that will require him to rebuild the clan. However, it's hard to do so since people view harems in a bad light, the School Days series, for example, is the epitome of a horrible one. Unless it's High School DxD, To Love-ru, or an Isekai series with a good plot, harems are pretty much seen in a very bad light to most readers.**

 **I had to watch Bloom Into You, the P3 Movies, and** **Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai to get a good grasp on Naruto's side story of love that, I will say again, won't end in Part 3.**

 **I also forgot to mention that the headphones Naruto uses are a pair of earphones he designed himself that is based on the** **Audio-Technica model ATH-EM700 SV.**

 **For now, I'll go with how I feel until I figure things out.**

* * *

 **Gatō's Main Hideout**

A monster!? yelled a shocked Gatō.

"He took them like we were nothing! He was definitely a monster, no...he was more of a demon than a monster, with the strength to rip flesh and break bones. I haven't stopped shaking since I got here."

"I see." With a simple hand gesture, Gato has some of his men kill the thug. "Double the guards for each hideout, and get me some more men, ones that aren't afraid of this "monster."

 **The next day...**

 **Tazuna's House**

Naruto enters the kitchen, carrying a bucket of catfish, with a few carrots and herbs in hand, along with a sack of fresh apples.

"Is that catfish? They're not native to the Land of Waves. How did you get them?"

"It's better if you don't ask..." said Naruto. The food he just brought in were some things he stole from one of Gatō's ships while he was destroying his shipment of drugs. Yawning, Naruto tells the woman he'll handle the cooking, wanting to cook a seafood stew he thought of perfecting.

"Really? Thank you, Naruto."

"Though I will need help from your son to cut the vegetables." Inari is called in by his mother to help the blond, who silently nods and starts peeling the carrots while the blond cuts the catfish open to remove the guts.

"You can stop with that "I'm not scared" act. What's the point in doing so? Someday Gatō's gonna kill every single person living here." Naruto said nothing as Inari looks at him and tries to get him to react to what he just said. "You act all calm like you can beat Gatō. But strong guys like the ones he owns are always too much for people weaker than they are. They'll destroy you." Again, Naruto said nothing as he focused on cooking. This angered Inari.

"SAY SOMETHING!"

 **[Persona 3 Spring of Birth OST - Pure One Heart]**

"Do you love your father?" Hearing this, Inari was confused as to why Naruto asked that question. "Answer..."

"Of course, I've looked up to him ever-"

"Do you love this village? Its people? Your mom and your grandfather?" Inari tells the blond he loves them all before Naruto asked him, "Then, if they were all threatened to be destroyed tomorrow, would you be willing to lay down your life for them? Like your father?" Inari's eyes widened when Naruto got serious and asked those two questions.

"If you care for them just as much as your father did, you should be prepared to protect them with all the strength you've got, even if it means risking your life for theirs," Naruto told the young boy, who was left speechless. "You can't always stay in that room of yours and cry forever...If you're going to cry Inari, save it for when your village is finally free from Gatō. Before that, try standing up to them with your own two feet planted firmly on the ground for once," Having said what he needed to say, Naruto grabs the vegetables Inari peeled and cut before putting them in the pot and cooking them.

"Thanks for your help. I'll take care of the rest."

 **[Music End]**

 **Later**

Only Naruto's seat was empty as everyone had lunch at the table, Tazuna wondering where he went, Tsunami telling him he just finished cooking and left with some stew to eat alone.

"Does that boy ever socialize with others? I mean he's your teammate, but he spends his time alone."

"I'm sure he has some friends in our village, with whom he spends time with. However, I've yet to see him actually socialize," said Kakashi. "He's a very secretive person who tends to show others his sarcastic and uncaring side. That personality of his, I think, is a way for him to have others open up to him before showing his caring side. You may not like him at first, but once he unravels and speaks how he feels, all that animosity goes away...although that's just my hypothesis."

"That so..."

 **Unnamed Forest**

His back rested against a tree, Naruto works on a dark-purple headband by himself, a rare smile on his face.

"Hey, Naruto?" His smaile fading, looking over the tree behind him, Naruto saw Sasuke approach. Quickly, the blond puts away the headband before the Uchiha sees it. "Shouldn't you be training in case Gatō and his goons decide to attack?"

"I should, but I'm on break." This didn't sit well for Sasuke, who told him if they weren't ready, they could die on the mission. "I am aware of that. I will train in an hour. For now, I'd like to sit back and do some me time. It's selfish, yes, but as long as I manage my time, I will be fine. You need to learn how to take things slow, like me. If you just devote your time to train, it'll drive you nuts sometimes."

"You're unbelievable..."

"What about you? Once you finish training, what else is there to do for you time? Other than brooding?" asked Naruto, the Uchiha not having an answer, being backed in a corner. "You may have worked hard to be the ninja you are now, but once the battles are no more, what's left for you Sasuke Uchiha?" Looking down, Sasuke had no answer to Naruto's question. What was left for him after his revenge was done?" Before Naruto could suggest something, Kakashi arrived.

"Sasuke, shouldn't you be working on controlling your chakra?"

"I would, but I'm...stuck. And Naruto here is just slacking off."

"Sasuke...Naruto already knows how to control his chakra." This reveal surprised Sasuke, who refused to believe it. With a sigh, Naruto focused chakra on his feet as he runs all the way up to the tree he was sitting against, leaving the Uchiha speechless.

"There's your proof," said Naruto, who then jumped down, landing safely on his feet. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to knit- I mean go do some training of my own." He almost revealed what he was actually planning to do. Saying nothing, Naruto leaves. Well, he would've, if Sasuke hadn't stopped him by calling his name.

"What is it now?" To Naruto's surprise, Sasuke asked him for help with controlling his chakra. "Me? Help you? Hmmm... **I guess I'll finish that headband later..."** It was either help him or let Sakura do it. "Very well, I guess I can help you out." This brought a smile to the Jonin's face as Naruto followed Sasuke.

 **Night**

Sasuke makes it halfway up the tall tree, marking it before making a backflip and landing safely on his feet.

"You're getting better. I think by tomorrow morning you'll make it to the top," said Naruto. "Well, it's 6:00 pm, I should help Tsunami make d-"

"Naruto..." Turning around, Naruto is surprised to hear the Uchiha thank him. "I've never been one to receive help from others when it came to training so...thanks."

"You're welcome Sasuke...I overheard you talking about me with Sakura, back in the academy." Sasuke's eyes widen when Naruto told him he heard his conversation with Sakura back at the academy. "I never expected to hear those things from your mouth. You're...a pretty good guy when you're not all frowns and glares..." After Naruto finished, Sasuke formed a small smile on his face and told the blond, "Never thought I'd hear those words coming out your mouth," before Naruto told him, "Everybody gets one."

 **Later**

During the night, Naruto went out on his own as he surveyed a thug hideout from a large hill. From the looks of it, Gatō had doubled his security. Luckily for the blond, the pencil-mustached drug dealer wasn't smart enough to put guards on top of the hideout. Summoning his bow, the blond shoots a rope arrow across the hideout before ziplining across and landing quietly on the top of it.

With his kunai, Naruto created an opening for him to enter. As he made his way down, he used his bow and his kunai to silently take out whoever was unlucky to be in his sights. Finally, he made it to the safe room.

"This is it..." Checking the lock, he puts his ear against it as he figured out the safe combination. After hearing a click, Naruto smiled to himself as he opens the safe. Entering, he found himself surrounded by Gatō's fortune, though only a fraction of it. Taking out several scrolls, Naruto gathers them up as he stores them before pocketing the scrolls. Finished, Naruto goes back to where he entered to leave. Next, he interrupted a drug operation at another hideout, massacring the mercenaries there and burning all the drugs.

For the next 3 nights, after helping Sasuke with his training, Naruto went on with his one-person crusade, stealing and killing. On the side, Naruto would distribute the food and money he stole to the villagers in need of it.

 **Gatō's Main Hideout**

"Why haven't you caught this guy!?" Gatō angrily yelled.

"We're trying, but...he's on a whole other level than us," said one of the mercenaries employed by the drug dealer. "If this village has someone like that after us, we're dead!" Already steaming mad, Gatō orders the mercenary's death. Right after, they heard screaming outside. Rushing out, Gatō and his men saw Naruto slicing up the drug dealer's men, using one of the katanas he took from one of them. Finished, Naruto swung the weapon to get rid of the blood on the blade before turning his attention towards Gatō.

"Gatō, your end has come. All your money is gone. Your drug operation, done. Now, you'll be done." Before the two mercenaries Gatō's with can do anything, Naruto hurled two shurikens, hitting them in the head, instantly killing them before they hit the ground. "I'm ending you."

"Wait, stop! Just let me go! I'll stop dealing drugs, I'll-" Before he could finish, Naruto starts laughing out loud.

"That is funny. You, promising to stop dealing and start changing. Do you think someone like you can change? You've done crimes that have made you irredeemable. There's no chance in hell you're getting out of this." Before Naruto can attack Gatō, he finds himself surrounded by thousands of ice needles.

"What?" Quickly, he avoids a majority of them, a few hitting his arm. Haku, masked, appears in front of Gatō, who angrily asks the girl what took her so long to arrive.

"I was looking over Zabuza. Whoever you are, you have nowhere to run." Observing his surroundings, the blond genin noticed that the grass around them was wet. Following this, Haku manipulated the water to form ice spikes from the ground, hoping to impale the blond Genin, who quickly avoided it. Haku goes in pursuit of Naruto, manipulating the water to form into a floating sphere to follow her, using it to fire ice needles at him.

The back of Naruto's right leg gets hit with a few of them, reacting in pain as he falls from the tree he was on and onto the ground. Quickly recovering, Naruto avoids another flurry of ice needles before lunging at Haku, holding a kunai in his right hand. Haku quickly grabs him by his kunai hand and throws him over her shoulder.

Naruto lands on his feet as he skids back and throws his kunai at her. Haku uses the water sphere to form a wall of water to stop it. Naruto smirks as the kunai is revealed to contain three explosive tags wrapped around the handle, blowing up with enough force to send the masked ninja flying back, hitting a tree. To his shock, the Haku he fought turned out to be a water clone. Turning around, the vital parts in Naruto's right left and left arm are hit by the real Haku's senbon, preventing him from moving and using his left arm.

Haku rushed at Naruto with a kick, the Genin narrowly avoiding it before performing a backflip to create distance between him and his opponent. He painfully but quickly pulls out the senbon before avoiding three more from hitting him. From the way Haku was throwing them, Naruto concluded that she was aiming for vital parts of his body that prevented him from moving. As long as he pulled the needles out, his healing factor would repair the damage, though it wasn't immediate since his left arm and right leg felt very numb and tingly.

Appearing in front of the blond, Haku performs an elbow strike on him, who catches it in his left hand, wincing as he did it. Right after, she spun kick him with her right leg, hitting his left cheek. As Naruto tried to go in for a right hook, Haku quickly caught his hand with her left one before using a senbon in her right hand to stab into a vital part of his right arm, numbing it before spinning her body around, appearing from behind, and using quick strikes to hit him in the vital areas on his back and legs, forcing him on his knees. From her attacks alone, Naruto knew he was against someone who was equal to him in skill.

As Haku went in for another strike, Naruto grabs her by her mask-covered face and slams her to the ground, injuring her a bit. She manages to recover quickly enough to avoid a right punch from Naruto that leaves a sizeable crater in the ground, surprising her as she puts distance between herself and the Genin.

"Damn, I was hoping that would connect," said Naruto.

"For a mere Genin, you're good. No wonder why Zabuza had some trouble with you. Who taught you?" asked Haku.

"None of your business," said Naruto. "For a ninja like yourself, you could do any other job that didn't require working for an asshole like Gatō. You could be a force of good. Why work for him and Zabuza?"

"I don't work for Gatō. I'm loyal to only Zabuza."

"Is that so...Let me rephrase that question: Why work for Zabuza?"

"...Because he saved me." This answer surprisesd Naruto as Haku goes on with her answer. "Because of him, he gave me a reason to live. I may have my own dreams, but as his partner, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to protect him, whether it involves fighting, killing, even dying, to fulfill it."

"A dream...huh...I may not have an idea of what dream I'm striving towards, I'm willing to do whatever it takes to find it."

"If things played out differently, we could've gotten along."

"Maybe..." Preparing himself, Naruto anticipates Haku's next move as she appears in front of Naruto, left fist drawn. She had hoped that her attacks from earlier would slow the blond down, only to find out Naruto hasn't slowed down at all as he moved to the side to avoid the punch before performing an elbow kick that struck her in the chest, cracking two of her right ribs as he sends her crashing into a tree. Despite the numbness in his left arm and both legs, as well as the injuries he sustained on his back, he moved like it was nothing. Clutching her right side, Haku painfully got up before narrowly avoiding a spin kick from Naruto that destroyed the tree behind her.

 **"He shouldn't be able to display strength like that in his condition!"** Appearing above his opponent, Naruto yells, "Moonsault Slash!", as he performs a front-somersaulting slamming kick. When Kaku cross blocks it, with some trouble, Naruto uses the momentum from the first kick to twist in the air and launch another front-somersaulting slamming kick, breaking her defense and leaving a large diagonal scar on her chest as she reels back in pain.

"You...were holding back when you fought Zabuza..." Haku told the blond as she clutched her wound in pain.

"I had teammates to care for and a client to guard. I couldn't go all out, could I?" Naruto admits before kneeling in pain. The last attack was supposed to kill her. With the strength that was available to him, this was all he could do. Right now, he was running on fumes as he made his escape. Haku tried to go after him, only to fall on her stomach, clutching her wound in pain. Using her Kekkai Genkai, she formed ice around the wound, screaming in pain as she covered it with ice. This was only temporary until she went back to Zabuza.

Naruto was heavily panting as he tried to make his way back to Tazuna's. However, Naruto fell on his stomach, landing on a flowerbed as he passed out from his injuries.

Returning to Gatō, the man himself asked Haku if the ninja was killed. Haku tells him while he wasn't killed, he should be close to dying, bringing a smile to his face.

"Excellent, what would I do without you and Zabuza? Now no one can stop us from killing the bridge builder."

"Us? From what's been happening for the last few days, it's obvious you don't have enough money to keep Zabuza and I under your command," said Haku, who then told him that as soon as Zabuza was healed, she and him would leave Gatō, making him panic.

"Wait wait wait! What if I doubled the pay!?"

"With what money?" Gatō tells Haku that if she and Zabuza kill the bridge builder, he would pay them double the amount once he gets his operation back on track. "...I'll consult with Zabuza on this." Finished, Haku left. Hours later, Gatō's loyal guards, Waraji and Zōri enter, wondering what he needed them to do.

"I need you to go after the bridge builder's daughter, take her as a hostage. If anyone tries to stop you, kill them."

 **Dream?**

Opening his eyes, Naruto found himself lying in the middle of an underground complex, with pipes running along the ceiling and various hallways. As he gets up, he noticed that the floor was flooded with a shallow layer of water.

Where...am I?" Naruto asked himself.

"Naruto!" Turning around, the Genin sees Rin trapped in front of a large cage with several bars in front of her that prevented her escape.

"Kujou-senpai?"

"Naruto, thank goodness you're awake. We have to hurry. Gato's men are on their way to kill the bridge builder as we speak. The cage I'm in is preventing me from using my chakra. If you can just-"

"You're not Kujou-senpai." Rin has a confused expression on her face as she asked Naruto why he'd think that. "The real Kujou-senpai would remain calm in any situation and figure out a way to free herself. And if she was here right now, she would have come to me right away to let me know she's here," Naruto explained before narrowing his eyes at Rin's impostor. Having been found out, Rin lets out a laugh that slowly becomes demonic as she dissolves into red chakra. Soon after, a pair of large, red demonic eyes make themselves known as Naruto's eyes widen a bit.

"If I knew I was going to be face to face with the Kyuubi inside of me, I would've suggested you kept that Kujou-senpai impostor."

 **"It's useless to feign that bravado of yours. I can sense your fears, puny human..."**

"So what? You can't do anything to me as long as you're inside that cage." The Kyuubi snickered as Naruto raised a brow, wondering what the Kyuubi was smiling about.

 **"What makes you think that I can't do anything to you while I'm trapped in this cage? After all, I already did it once."** This made Naruto's eyes widen.

"What do you mean by-"

 **Unnamed Forest**

Before the blond could question the demon fox further, he finds himself awake. Getting up, Naruto's body ached all over from the injuries he sustained during the last fight that had yet to completely heal. Despite this, the Genin managed to stand on his feet.

"Not fully healed, but I can manage...What time is it?" Checking the time, he saw it was 11 in the morning. He slept for 8 hours?

"I should head back to Tazuna's. By now, only Tsunami and Inari are home." He should prepare an exaggerated explanation just in case Kakashi and the others questioned where he was and what he was doing. As he made his way to Tazuna's he noticed a dead boar on the path ahead and checks on it. It had several slash marks on its body. Looking at the blood on the ground, and the way it was splattered, whoever killed it, swung the sword to rid the blade of the boar's blood as he made his way to Tazuna's. Narrowing his eyes, Naruto picked up the pace as he made his way to the bridge builder's house.

Arriving, Naruto saw Gatō's men preparing to kill Inari, the boy standing up to them as Tsunami was forced to watch as the two samurais prepared to execute the boy. Appearing in front of Inari, Naruto disarms Waraji and Zōri before using their own katanas to kill them. Turning around, Naruto asked the boy if he was okay.

"Y-Yes...I'm fine...Did you..." Naruto simply nodded. "I see..."

"Tell me what happened?" Inari tells the blond Genin how Waraji and Zōri came to their house, busting the door open and demanding Tsunami to come with them. Inari was originally too scared to protect his mother as they proceeded to take her away, but after remembering Naruto's words, the boy wiped away his tears as he bravely told the men to give back his mothers. Right after, Naruto appeared. With a small smile, the blond genin told Inari he did good protecting Tsunami, telling him how Kaiza would be proud of him. This brought the boy to tears as he thanked the blond.

 _"I'm sorry Naruto. I know you told me to save it for when my village is finally free-"_

"It's okay to cry now Inari...After all, your mother is safe thanks to your intervention. If you didn't stand up to them, I wouldn't have been able to make it in time," Naruto assured as Inari let's out all of his tears. "Stay with your mother. I'll be right back."

 _"Where are you going?"_

"Since these two came all the way here to take your mother, Gatō's prepared for the endgame." Before he can turn around and rush to his team, Inari stops him, thanking him for coming to the rescue, and to go save his grandfather. With a smile, Naruto nods as he turns around, katanas in hand, and runs all the way to the bridge.

 **Unnamed Incomplete Bridge**

Entering the battle, Naruto observed what was going on. Kakashi was currently engaging Zabuza in combat as Sakura stood in front of Tazuna, kunai in hand. As for Sasuke, he was facing the girl who almost killed him. At the moment, Sasuke was having a hard time, being trapped in a jutsu that involved several mirrors made out of ice, and several senbon needles. Seeing an opening, Naruto rushed in as he swings one of the katanas at Haku, cutting her mask. The Uchiha was surprised by Naruto's entrance, the blond asking if he was okay.

"Peachy...Where the hell were you?"

"I overslept," Naruto joked. Sasuke tells Naruto he was full of shit as he's handed a katana. "You know how to use that?" Sasuke smirked as he and the blond went back to back to prepare for Haku's assault. "What do you know about this technique?"

"She uses mirrors made of ice to trap you in here while using senbon to overwhelm you or accurately hit your vital parts. The mirrors can't be melted with fire release techniques, and when you pinpoint her location, she can quickly move to another mirror."

"I see, how long have you been facing her?"

"8 minutes," Sasuke replied. Right after he answered, Sasuke and Naruto start deflecting several senbon directed at them by Haku, narrowly avoiding the needles they couldn't block with their katanas.

"Given the number of mirrors around us, it must require a large amount of chakra to maintain it," Naruto informs his teammate before blocking a strike from Haku, Sasuke preparing a downward strike with his sword, only to cut the air as Haku escapes into one of the mirrors. "This is going to be a battle of stamina. Lucky for us, we have plenty to spare. Well, I guess you have a bit more than me."

"Acknowledging me as better than you?"

"Don't be an ass. Let me inform you that I gave her a pretty bad injury and that she wrecked me a bit earlier." This surprised Sasuke, who demanded to know what happened as he and Naruto parried another attack from her.

"Let's just say that I encountered her last night and fought her to a standstill," Naruto admits.

'You what!?"

"Look on the bright side, she's not at full strength. That gives us another advantage over her," Naruto adds before deflecting a few senbon with his katana as Sasuke vaults over the blond and kicks Haku away, forcing her to retreat into one of the mirrors.

"You're going to have a lot of explaining to do once this is over."

"Yeah yeah..." As they prepared for another assault, Haku tells them how she can't help but prefer that the two Genin don't force her to kill them. "If you think we'd back down from this fight, you're mistaken. We'll come at you with everything we've got."

"Very well then..." Haku covers her hands in water before forming them into ice blades. Quickly, she rushed at them, breaking their katanas with a swing of her right hand before swinging with her left. Before it could connect, her ice blades turned into water, making the attack harmless as Naruto swings at her with his broken katana, missing as the masked woman fled into one of her mirrors.

"Since her blades turned back into water, it means that she's almost out of chakra. If we keep this going a little more, she'll be tired out."

"Alright then, let's-" Suddenly, the two find their feet encased in ice. "How did-"

"The second attack...She knew she was running out of chakra. The second attack from her ice blades was meant to form water under our feet so she could freeze them," Naruto told Sasuke, feeling chilly.

Before they can try freeing themselves, they heard Sakura screaming. This distracted Sasuke as Haku directed her attention to him. Naruto tries to stop her, only for his injuries to prevent him from moving as Sasuke is hit in the chest by a few senbon. Naruto's eyes widened as the Uchiha falls back, dead. Naruto just stood there, frozen in place, unable to process what had happened as Haku prepared to enter one of her ice mirrors, intent on finishing the battle.

Suddenly, Naruto felt a rush of anger envelop him. He may have disliked Sasuke, but after seeing him in a different light, from him talking back at Sakura to asking the blond for help with the Uchiha's training, Naruto considered him a good person. Now he was gone, just like that. Losing his calm nature, Naruto's eyes turned red slit as a swirl of red chakra surrounds him, healing his wounds and warming him up as it evaporates the ice trapping his feet. Haku looks on, shocked.

 **"What kind of chakra is that? And what's with his eyes?"**

 _ **"I'm going to rip off your arm...and beat you to death with it!"**_ yelled an enraged Naruto, sounding demonic. Haku starts throwing senbon from all directions as Naruto releases a demon fox roar, repelling them. Haku looks on, shocked.

"How did he-" Before she can finish her sentence, Naruto appears in front of her and forcefully pulls her out of the mirror. He then throws Haku through the mirrors of ice, dispelling the Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals. Appearing next to her, he prepares to rip off her right arm.

 _ **"Don't worry, this will only hurt a lot,"**_ said a viciously smiling Naruto as he starts pulling at her right arm. Haku screams in pain as Naruto tugs at it. _**"Music to my ears. How about I turn up the volume for your friend to sample!?"**_ Adding more strength to his pull, Naruto dislocates Haku's right arm as she screams louder.

 _ **"Just one more pull and rip goes your arm!"**_

 **"Everything's okay now Naruto. You can stop now..."** Hearing Rin's voice, Naruto stops as he slowly returns to normal, his eyes reverting to their ocean blue color.

"How did..." Naruto stops mid-sentence, remembering an event that happened when he was 11, when he and Tatsuya had fought some hired mercenaries at a building owned by the latter's company, Four Leaves Technology. This wasn't the first time he used the Kyuubi's chakra. Some of the scientists and guards there lost their lives in the assault, which made the blond go berserk and massacre the mercenaries before turning on Tatsuya, overwhelmed by rage and anger. Before the magician could kill him, Rin stepped in front of Naruto and held him, getting injured as she told him everything was fine. He had blocked it out of his mind in order to forget the thought of hurting his precious master. Looking down at Haku, Naruto is left shocked at his actions as he lets go of her arm and backs away.

"What are you doing? Aren't you going to kill me? I killed your friend," said the injured Haku.

"He's not my friend, just a teammate. I've already killed several of Gatō's men, I don't feel like killing you. Plus, killing you won't bring him back."

 _"You have to kill me. Zabuza has no use for a weak ninja like me,"_ Haku pleads, shedding tears in the process. When asked about her dream and living to fulfill it, Haku reveals that Zabuza was her dream. _"I love him...I want to be with him, marry him, have a loving family with him...something I wasn't able to have..."_

 **"Something...she wasn't able to have?"**

 _"He found me, acknowledged me and the power I possessed, cared for me...For that, he became the most precious person in my life. Now that I've lost, he will never love me...So please...take my life."_ Naruto would try to talk her out of it, but Haku wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"...Very well then..." Before Naruto could do anything, Haku sensed that Zabuza was in danger. Realizing there was one more thing she could do for him, Haku thanks Naruto for not finishing her off as she teleports away, appearing in front of Zabuza as she shields him from Kakashi's Lightning Blade, the Jonin's hand going through Haku's chest. As the mist clears, Zabuza, unfazed by his partner's sacrifice, swings his sword to slice through Kakashi and Haku at the same time. Kakashi evades this blow, taking the dead woman's body with him as he puts distance between him and the swordsman. Seeing her sacrifice her life for Zabuza was a shock to the blond. She sacrificed herself for someone who treated her like a weapon, who would cut her down without hesitating.

"Heh heh...So...you were able to get away...because poor Haku was already dead."

Setting Haku's body down, Kakashi closed her eyes as he directs a look of rage towards Zabuza. He was going to cut through his partner's dead body to get through to him. He didn't care for Haku at all was what Kakashi thought as he got up and quickly overpowered Zabuza.

Naruto, saying nothing, picked up Sasuke's body as he walks to Sakura and Tazuna. Turning to Naruto, Sakura's happy and relieved expression turned to horror when she saw the blond carrying the Uchiha, placing him in front of her, saying nothing. Tearing up, she asked him what happened, though he wouldn't answer, occupied with watching Kakashi beat up Zabuza and pondering Haku's actions. Unable to contain herself, she cried as she rested her head on Sasuke's chest.

"Why...Why can't I keep up!?" yelled a wounded and angry Zabuza.

"It's over Zabuza. You just don't know it yet." Taking out a few kunai, Kakashi stabs them into Zabuza's arms, the latter dropping his large sword in the process. Kakashi tells Zabuza he won't be able to use his arms to form jutsus and mold chakra. "You won't be able to assassinate Tazuna."

"You're right, he won't. Turning to their left, they see Gatō in front of them, with an army of thugs and mercenaries behind him.

"Gatō...What are you doing here?" asked Zabuza. Gatō tells Zabuza there's been a slight change of plans. He tells him he had no intention of paying him or Haku, adding how expensive hiring ninja of his skill was. "All of you ninja are so eager to fight each other. Once you've worn each other down, common thugs can finish off the rest. My mistake was hiring you in the first place. Calling yourself "The Demon of Kirigakure" is just plain false advertising..."

"...Forgive me...Kakashi...Our fight is over. I have no reason to want to assassinate Tazuna...which settles our differences..." Looking at Zabuza, Kakashi agrees with him.

"Hey..." Turning to Naruto, Zabuza wondered what he wanted. "Now that you're not an enemy. Tell me...Why would you cut through your own dead comrade like she was a tool? She was your comrade, someone who worked for you for many years."

"Gatō used me, and I used Haku. I didn't value Haku for her, but for her Kekkai Genkai, and her talents. Nothing more, nothing-"

 **[Persona 4 - Traumerei]**

"She...She loved you." This revealed shocked Zabuza, who hid his face from the blond. "She devoted her everything for you, and you tell me it's nothing. She was nothing. You don't feel a thing. Are you truly that heartless? Is that how you get...when your powers are as strong as yours are? She died, without having any of her dreams come true. Dying your tool...Is that how she'd want you to remember-?"

"Kid..." Looking at Zabuza, Naruto's eyes widened when he sees the swordsman shedding tears. "Not...Another word." Seeing the man, cry, Naruto didn't know what else to say. Zabuza, who he considered truly heartless, could still feel sadness. "Say what we will, do what we will. In the end, we shinobi are still just human after all...with feelings all too human. And I've lost...everything."

 **[Music End]**

Turning to Naruto, Zabuza asked him to lend him one of his kunais. Not saying a word, Naruto gave it to him, holding it by his teeth as he charges at Gatō's men to get to the drug dealer himself. As he begins massacres many thugs to get to him, Zabuza is stabbed multiple times by Gatō's thugs. Despite receiving many injuries, he still fought on, remembering the times he had with Haku. Finally, Zabuza, several kunais and katanas embedded into his back, tells the man he is taking him to Hell with him as he used the kunai in his mouth to decapitate the man. Seeing Gatō's severed head roll in front of their feet, the remaining thugs screamed in horror. Taking a single step, Zabuza's body started feeling heavy. Dropping to his knees, he saw a vision of Haku smiling at him. Smiling back, Zabuza collapsed. As Naruto and Kakashi looked on, something unexpected happened. Sasuke had opened his eyes, seeing Sakura sobbing into his chest.

"Sakura..." Hearing Sasuke's voice, Sakura turns to see her Sasuke living and breathing again as she hugs him. Sasuke tells her she's hurting him, who apologizes. Getting up, he pulled out the senbon needles that were still on him before asking the pink-haired girl how Naruto was.

"He's fine..." Turning to Naruto, Sakura yelled, informing the blond of the good news. Turning around, Naruto's eyes widened as he saw Sasuke wave at him.

"You're alive!" yelled a happy and relieved Naruto. This served to surprise everyone since Naruto rarely showed any care for them. Realizing this, the blond pretends it never happened as he told the Uchiha, "Good for you..."

"HEY! AREN'T YOU ALL FORGETTING SOMETHING!?"

"Oh right, we still have those guys...' said Naruto, preparing for a big fight. Before he could do anything, an arrow flies near the thugs' feet, stopping them. Turning around, Naruto and the others were surprised to see Inari and the villagers arrive to finally protect their country.

"Inari...Everyone..." Tazuna couldn't help but shed tears as Inari gave his grandfather a smile and told him everything was going to be fine.

Facing the thugs, Naruto weaves some hand signs as he creates 50 shadow clones of himself to scare the thugs. Not wanting to be outdone, Kakashi, despite being wounded, creates 60 of them, the blond wondering if he was overdoing it to up him. Now fearing their lives, the thugs retreated to the boats they came from, tails between their legs, never to be seen again. The villagers start cheering out loud, finally free from Gatō's control as the shadow clones disperse. As everyone cheered, Naruto walked to Zabuza to see if he was still alive. As it turns out, he was, though not for very long.

"...Looks like it's all over...huh?"

"Yeah..."

"Kid...can you do me a favor and take me to Haku...I want to see her face..." With a nod, Naruto carries Zabuza to Haku's dead body. As he carried him to her, he noticed it was slowly beginning to snow. Stopping at Haku's dead body, the blond Genin placed Zabuza next to her.

"You were at my side right from the start...And I'm at yours, now at the end...If I could..." At this point, Zabuza begins tearing up. _"...If I could...If I were able...I would want to go...to the same place...on the other side...as you."_ Soon after, Zabuza passed away. Going on his knees, Naruto takes Zabuza's left hand and has it hold Haku's right one.

 **Two weeks later...**

At their gravesite, Naruto walks to Haku and Zabuza's graves, giving them offerings before praying for them.

"Hey, Zabuza...It's Naruto...Been two weeks since you cut off Gatō's head...To be honest with you, I wanted to dig the graves for you but...I was busy figuring out what to say to you...I will start with this...I haven't cried since I was 6...I had to stop since I realized no one would ever feel sorry for me. I have completely forgotten how it feels to shed tears like you...Truth be told, despite everything you've done in your life, you're probably more human than me...To shed tears like you did when I told you about Haku...And...remembering how you tried to cut through her corpse to try and kill Kakashi-sensei...I noticed your hands were trembling as you held your blade...You were angry at him for taking her away from you. I guess along the way, you started feeling something for her, having to steel yourself for the mission. I considered you a truly heartless person, but you proved me wrong...It makes me wonder...Am I still human? Is there hope for me, maybe?" But that's not what I wanted to tell you, and I don't want this to be about me. What I really want to tell you is...You can go with her Zabuza...To the place Haku is...I believe that..."

"Naruto, it's time to go," Kakashi told him as the blond. Turning around, the blond puts on his headphones and runs to his teammates.

 **Unnamed Bridge (Complete)**

"Thank you, all of you. Our bridge has finally been completed. But...it'll be awfully dull around here, once you're gone," Tazuna told Team 7. Kakashi tells the old bridge builder they've enjoyed their hospitality. Looking at Naruto, Inari asked him if he and his friends had to go.

"Yeah, our work here's done. It's your job to protect this village now so take good care of it," Naruto told the boy, who nods to him.

"Before you go, I'd like to talk to Naruto alone," said Tazuna. Walking a good distance away from them, the old man tells Naruto how he planned to dedicate the bridge to him, surprising the blond.

"Me?"

"Because of you, Inari and the villagers were inspired to fight back and protect our home."

"Is that so..."

"I also know that you went out every night to fight Gatō." This surprises Naruto, who wonders how the old man knew. "I was out on one of my night walks, helps me clear my head. During that walk, I noticed you taking out one of Gatō's ship, and you had a mask on."

"So that's how...You won't tell anyone, right?" Tazuna promises him he won't before giving him the pack he was carrying, containing fresh fish to take home. "I couldn't-"

"I insist. Think of it as payment for everything you've done for this village. I won't take no for an answer."

"...Alright," said Naruto as he accepted the fish.

"Again, thank you for saving us."

"All in a day's work," said Naruto, giving the old man a small smile before heading back to his team. As Team 7 walked away, Inari says good luck to Naruto, who simply waved back at him.

 **Konohagakure**

 **Naruto's House**

Entering his house, he tells himself how glad he was to be home. However, noticing the silence, he sighs as he heads up the stairs. "Of course, no one's-" Before he could finish, he stops as he finds a surprised Ayane coming out of the bathroom, having just finished her shower, a towel wrapped around her body.

"Naruto?"

"Ayane!?" At that moment, Ayane's towel suddenly falls down, revealing her nude figure. The blond's eyes widen as he stares at her. "Oh wow..."

"What're you-" Looking down, Ayane turned red, realizing Naruto could see her in her birthday suit. Outside of the blond's house, Ayane's scream could be heard as she punched Naruto in the face with a chakra-enhanced fist, the latter screaming in pain.

 **A few minutes later...**

Naruto cooks something for him and Ayane, using the fish Tazuna gave him. The blond had a bruise on his left cheek from where Ayane punched him. The furiously blushing purple-haired kunoichi, wearing a robe, sat at the table, glaring daggers at him.

"You didn't have to enhance your punch, you already have above human strength."

"You saw me naked!" yelled Ayane, Naruto informing her how she didn't secure her towel well.

"...If it means anything, I'm sorry." After a few seconds of silence, Ayane sighed before telling him she accepted the small apology.

"So how was the mission?" she asked, Naruto telling her how the village planned to name the bridge they built after him. "Hmmm, isn't that something to be proud of."

"I actually find it embarrassing," Naruto admits.

"Do you now..."

"By the way, how did you gather all that information for me?" Ayane tells Naruto how she could control butterflies and communicate with them, and how they did the info gathering for her. "Seriously?"

"Yes, it's an ability that I taught myself when I was younger," she told the blond, the latter telling her how cute that was. Ayane, red in the face, said nothing, unsure of what to say.

"...Why are you here?"

"I'm representing the Mugen Tenshin Clan in the Chūnin Exams, which will begin in 5 days. Master Ryu's also going to be here to represent the Hayabusa Village."

"Is he now..." Naruto's eyes widened when Ayane tells him, "Master Ryu also told me to tell you that he plans to train you, should you make it to the finals."

"That is all too convenient for me."

"How so?"

 **Dinner**

"You know Ninpo!?" yelled Ayane.

"Yeah, I used the technique you used to injure a ninja."

"It's impossible to have a ninja from one the Five Great Shinobi Nations use ki energy," Ayane told herself. "Yet you can use it..."

"Which brings me to ask you..." Blushing, Naruto asked her if she could teach him how to use ki and help him improve his fighting. Sure, he was a more than capable fighter, but he was no Rin Kujou or Tatsuya Shiba. After his fight with Haku, he needed to get better, and Ayane, at the moment, was the only person who could help him.

"Me?"

"Yes...I did consider Master Ryu, but knowing him, he'll be occupied with the Chūnin Exams. Then I thought of you and-"

"Sure..." This surprised Naruto as the purple-haired kunoichi looks away, red in the face. "While I have yet to fully master ki energy like him, I know enough to help you get on track tomorrow. I'll see if Master Ryu can teach you the rest later."

"Really!? Thank you, Ayane!" Naruto told her with a smile.

 _"I won't go easy on you..."_ whispered a blushing Ayane.

"...If you don't mind me asking...How are things with you and your sister?" Ayane tells Naruto about how she took what he told her about forgiveness and putting the past behind her and Kasumi to heart and that they were slowly building their relationship back up. "That's good to hear..."

"Right now, we can only manage a couple of minutes talking to each other," Ayane finished.

"Better than nothing..."

 **After dinner**

Yawning, Ayane told Naruto that she was going to sleep on his bed as usual. Naruto, remembering how Zabuza originally saw Haku as a tool and not as a person, calls out her name. Wondering what he needed from her, Ayane turns around to see Naruto holding out a dark-purple headband.

"Here...I made this for you. It's...for your hair."

"You made that for me?" asked a now-surprised Ayane. No one, other than Genra, Kasumi, and Hayate, has ever given her a present. Naruto simply nods, telling her how he had been working on it during his spare time.

"I know it's nothing that special, but-"

"No, it's fine...I'd like to try it on." Taking the headband, Ayane wears it on her head. Naruto's eyes widened as he stared at her. Noticing this, the blushing kunoichi asked him how it looked.

"It looks great on you," he told her, blushing, Ayane doing the same. Inside, the kunoichi was very happy that he made it for her.

 **Naruto's Room**

Staring at the ceiling, Ayane laid on Naruto's bed, red in the face as she touched the headband Naruto made for her with her right hand. This had been going on for a good full hour. Turning her head towards the blond, she gets up and to get in the futon with him. As the blond slept peacefully, Ayane caressed his left cheek with her right hand.

Much to her embarrassment, she directed her attention to Naruto's lips. Ayane leaned her face towards his, intent on having her second kiss with him. Recalling their first kiss, while it was accidental, thinking back on it, it did feel nice. Before she knew it, Ayane's forehead lightly hits Naruto's, almost waking him up. Sighing, she figured she'd try again some other time before falling asleep.

* * *

 **Finally, the Land of Waves is done! I admit, my first take on it was pretty crap, so hopefully, I did this justice.**

 **As you're all aware of right now, Ayane's headband was made by Naruto. I don't know when she got her headband or how she got it when I watched the Dead or Alive 2 Opening, but I figured it was something like this. I forgot to mention her headband in earlier chapters of Road to Journey to Now, but looking back, I'm glad I didn't add the headband.**

 **Regarding her overall relationship with Naruto, I hope I can do them justice, since ultimately...I'll just leave that for the readers to decide...for now.**

 **The last part at the end of the chapter was based on a scene from the latest episode of "** **Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai" , an anime I'd recommend to almost anyone.**

 **Yes, Naruto has used the Nine-Tailed Fox chakra before, though only once, going berserk as a result of witnessing the innocent lives lost, one of the lives belonging to a man who hadn't seen his family for over a year. Tatsuya would have had to put Naruto down, but luckily for him, Naruto's senpai and crush stopped him. Sounds cheesy but hey, it works in a way.**

 **Next chapter will begin the Chunin Exams Arc, and I intend to make it better than my last attempt since, again, I was a novice and didn't know any better.**


	5. Chapter 5

For the past 4 days, Ayane stayed at Naruto's, helping him train in the basics of mastering ki energy and improve the blond's fighting at his very own backyard, mainly through intense combat. The first two days, she introduced him to Hajinmon style ninjutsu, a style exclusive to the Hajinmon sect. With Hajinmon style ninjutsu, Naruto's attacks would be a lot quicker, allowing him to counter a counterattack before it could ever connect. She also added how it emphasizes stronger ninpo abilities and techniques, and that the style was perfect for someone like him. To her delight, Naruto was a fast learner, able to grasp the fundamentals of her art without having her tell him twice.

The third day, Ayane had him perform the fireball technique. This time, Naruto successfully executed it without any signs of exhaustion. She noted how fast of a learner he was and told him his progressive abilities were beyond extraordinary. Ayane even smiled at him when she told Naruto he was beyond impressive, though that served to embarrass the two. When Naruto asked if she could teach him new ninpo techniques, she denied the request, mainly since she wanted her techniques to be a surprise for when they had a real match, and that if he wanted to learn more ninpo, he'd have to get to the finals of the Chunin Exam so Ryu could teach him.

On the fourth day, Ayane gave the blond specially designed weighted wristbands, shirt, and ankle weights, at the request of Ryu, telling him, with the exception of bathing, not to take them off until Ryu gave him the okay before continuing Naruto's training.

 **Night**

 **Ramen Ichiraku**

Naruto, though still sore from Ayane's training, decided to treat the kunoichi to ramen as thanks for helping him.

"Treating a girl to ramen...Not really something special," Ayane told the blond. "Lucky for you...I love ramen."

"Hey Naruto, I haven't seen you for four days. How..." Ayame turns silent when she sees the blond Genin with the Hajinmon kunoichi. "Oh my, I didn't expect you to bring your girlfriend here." Ayane turns red when the ramen shop owner's daughter assumed they were a couple.

"We're not dating at all. We're just friends is all," Naruto told Ayame.

"That's a shame Naruto, she looks like your type. So...what will the two of you have tonight?" After giving Ayame their orders, the two went silent, feeling a little awkward after Ayame viewed them as a couple.

"...She assumed that we were a couple..." said Ayane.

"Yeah, sorry about that. She and her father tend to do that to every male customer who comes in with a nice girl, whether it's Asuma-sensei, Shikamaru, Neji, and more. Old Man Teuchi would do it whenever Hinata and I came in to order. But, from what Ayame has told me, since he's away on a personal journey to rediscover his cooking, two years before I came back here, she's the only one who does it now. This was the first time she actually did one on me," Naruto informed the kunoichi.

"Runs in the family huh...Is there a girl you like? And don't bring up your beautiful senpai, she doesn't count since she rejected your confession." Picking up his chopsticks, he told her, "Maybe."

"No yes or no answer...Geez..."

"What about you? Like anyone?" Immediately, Ayane denies having any interest in romance, since she's not one of those girls who go after just anyone, whether they're visually appealing or a celebrity in music, tv, or anime.

"That's expected, given your...tough personality...well...whoever your preferred guy is, I bet any guy you like would be lucky to have you crushing on them." Looking down at their just-arrived bowls of ramen, Ayane simply replies with, "...Yeah." If only he knew. Turning to Naruto, she noticed he was having trouble eating due to the weighted wristbands weighing down his sore arms. Taking his chopsticks, the kunoichi offers to feed the blond.

"Just for today...Now open up." Outside of a small shop, Ino was heading home with her mother, after spending the whole afternoon shopping with her, when she noticed the blond being fed by the Hajinmon kunoichi.

"No way, Naruto is with a girl...and she's feeding him...Hinata never got this far..." Smirking, she figured she'd find a good time to ask him about it and see if she could finally get a reaction out of him and break his usual calm composure.

 **Hokage Office**

"I'm sorry Ayane couldn't make it the past 4 days," Ryu apologized.

"I don't mind since she's still young...Too young to be a representative," said Hiruzen as he neatly stacked papers on his desk. "...I tried to visit Naruto yesterday and saw her training him. You know anything about that, Ryu?"

"Ayane's staying at his place. In return for letting her, he asked her to train him." This piqued the Third Hokage's curiosity. "She's staying at his place?" Hiruzen's eyes widened in surprise when the Dragon Ninja told him Naruto gave the kunoichi a spare key to use.

"I assumed he'd give it to "her." When asked who he was referring to, Hiruzen decided to keep it to himself, a smile on his face as he turned his chair around to look out the window.

 **The next day**

"What do you three think you're doing?" asked Naruto, kicking the box off to reveal Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon. Turning to Udon, he asked him why he hasn't wiped his nose, telling the kid how the snot flowing down his nose was disgusting. Sure it was rude, but it was the truth, and the blond had to point it out.

 **Why is it that no one who sees him tells him to wipe his nose?"**

"We want you to play with us," said Konohamaru, his friends agreeing with him. Naruto flat out says no, telling them he has important business today. When asked what important business he had today, he told them, "The Chunin Exams starts today. I'm heading there right now."

"Can we come?" Again, Naruto said no before telling them they were too young to set foot on Chunin Exam grounds. "YOU SUCK NARUTO! AT LEAST MAKE TIME!"

"Don't see that happening any time soon."

"YOU'RE THE WORST!" Running the other way, Konohamaru doesn't see where he's going and bumps into a ninja who was walking with his older sister. The boy wore a Bunraku puppeteer's costume; a black, baggy, full bodysuit with a red and yellow circle on the front. He also wore a black hood that covered his head completely and had cat-like ears and his forehead protector on his forehead. He also carried two mysterious objects wrapped in bandages, and his face sported a triangular face-paint design.

The girl had teal eyes and sandy blonde hair, which is gathered into four consecutive pigtails. Her outfit consists of a single light purple-colored, off-the-shoulders garment that extended to halfway down her thighs, with a scarlet sash tied around her waist. In addition to incorporating fishnet worn over her shoulders and legs, specifically on her right calf and her left thigh, she also wore her black forehead protector around her neck. She carried with her a giant folding fan. Annoyed by Konohamaru, the ninja, whom Naruto noticed was from Sunagakure, picked the boy up by his scarf and told him, "That was rude, kid. It looks like I have to teach you some-"

"Hey, put the kid down," said Naruto as he turned around to face the ninja.

"I just want to play with him a little, while my sister and I are waiting...for..."

"I said... ** _put him down_ ,"** Naruto told him, sounding dead serious as he glared intensely at the now-scared ninja, his sister feeling just as scared of the blond genin as him. Complying, the Suna-nin puts Konohamaru down. Konohamaru runs to Naruto and his friends as they cower behind the blond. Taking out his wallet, Naruto gives the kids some money for ice cream before telling them to go. Thanking him, they leave, Naruto not leaving the two Suna-nin out of his sights. "If you want to start a fight, it'd better be with someone your own size and weight class. Lucky for you, I am more than happy to-"

"That won't be necessary..." Turning around, Naruto found a boy his age glaring daggers at him. He had fair skin, green eyes, and short and spiky auburn hair. On the left side of his forehead, there was a kanji for "love" (愛) on it.

"You with them?" Naruto was ignored as the red-haired ninja, known as Gaara, told his older brother, now known as Kankuro, how annoyed he was of him, due to how Kankuro lost control in a quarrel with children. Before the older brother could try to explain his reason, Gaara told him to shut up, or he'd kill him, scaring Kankuro. Temari had to calm her younger brother down a bit so things wouldn't escalate further. Turning his head towards Naruto, Gaara apologized to him for his older brother's "idiocy".

"Apology accepted...You three here for the Chunin Exams?" asked a now calm Naruto.

"Yes...What's your name?"

"Naruto Uzumaki. You?"

"Gaara of the Desert."

"...Interesting. Well, see you at the exams." With that, Naruto decided to take a detour and check on Konohamaru, Moegi, and Udon.

 **Ninja Academy**

 **Hallways**

"Where's Naruto!? I thought he'd be here by now, but what's taking him!?" asked an annoyed Sakura. Sasuke tells her he must have his reason for showing up late.

Hearing this, Hinata wondered where the blond was, worried he wasn't going to show as her teammates Shino and Kiba arrive. As Sasuke and Sakura talked to themselves, and Team 8 started conversing with each other, Neji and his teammates arrive, one of the two taking an interest in both Sakura and Sasuke.

 **Ice Cream Shop**

"You three okay?" asked Naruto as he had himself an extra-large orange popsicle ice cream.

"Yeah...thanks for stepping in Naruto," said a grateful Konohamaru, his friends smiling at the blond in gratitude.

"No problem, just make sure you watch where you're going next time," he told the boy before walking off towards the academy, quickly finishing his popsicle. Watching as he walked away, Moegi tells Konohamaru how cool he looked with his calm and uncaring face.

"That's my future master for you!" Checking his phone, Naruto found himself with 75 minutes to spare before the doors to the exam closed.

"Oh? It's Naruto." Turning around, Naruto is greeted by Shikamaru, Ino, and Choji, who asked him if he was on the way to the academy as well. Naruto simply nods yes at them as they approached.

"Want to walk there together?" asked Shikamaru. Naruto, after thinking about it, just nods. Walking side by side with them, Naruto asked them what their thoughts were on taking the exams. Shikamaru, as usual, told him it was a drag, but will see how far he can go. Ino voiced how pumped she was in taking it since Sasuke would be in it and how she can finally have a match with Sakura to prove she was perfect for the Uchiha. Choji was the same as Shikamaru, but a bit more determined. "What about you Naruto?"

"Me?" Thinking about it, he tells them, while he doesn't mind taking it, he doesn't think of it as special, since he has no family to cheer him on like the others.

"What about that girl you were with last night?" asked Ino. Naruto's eyes widened a bit once the blonde genin of Team 10 revealed she saw him with Ayane.

"Girl? What girl?" asked Shikamaru. "Was it that Ayane girl?"

"Ayane's her name, huh? If that was her, she is quite a beauty. She and Naruto were eating ramen together last night. She even fed him herself," Ino informed her teammate.

"There's a good explanation for that," said Naruto. Ino voiced how surprised she was to see Naruto so defensive. "Could she be your secret girlfriend?"

"Don't just assume things, Ino," said Naruto. "My arms just felt sore after training with her, and she gave me some heavy weights to wear around my wrists, shirt, and ankles, so she offered to..." Looking at Team Asuma, they had on looks of curiosity.

"So you train with her..."

"...We're done talking," said Naruto, taking out his headphones to play his music and ignore them.

"We actually won a conversation against him, and we got him to show us his embarrassed side," said a victoriously smiling Ino.

"I'm not embarrassed," Naruto told her, sounding annoyed.

"I think I can see a bit of red on your face..." Shikamaru adds.

"You two are just assuming too much."

 **Ninja Academy**

 **Large Hall**

 **1 hour later**

Naruto had spent a good 10 minutes looking for his teammates after arriving at the academy. Finally, he found Sakura watching Sasuke as he got sent into the air by a kick from a boy who was a year older than them.

He had on a green jumpsuit, and bandages around his hands. Naruto also noticed the boy's bowl-cut hairstyle and large eyebrows. Seeing this get out of hand, within three seconds, Naruto jumps up to the air and grabs Sasuke before appearing next to Sakura, to the bowl-cut haired boy's astonishment.

"Good grief, I'm not around for a good while and already you're making problems," said Naruto. Sasuke tells him the boy started it. "Yet you accepted his challenge in hopes of showing him the pride of the Uchiha, not knowing what to expect..." Landing on the ground, the boy asked Naruto who he was. "I'm the third wheel. Who are you supposed to be?"

"Rock Lee."

"Well Lee, might I ask why you decided to fight my teammate here?" Lee explains to Naruto how he wanted to try his skills against the Uchiha and his Sharingan. As Naruto had witnessed earlier, Lee had a huge advantage over Sasuke, even with his Sharingan. "You seem strong."

"Seem?" Naruto asked. "Looks can be deceiving, ya know, something you should know already, given how you floored Sasuke over here."

"That is true...You have no Sharingan, or any talent in particular that makes you speci-"

"I don't need a Sharingan, a special talent, or any Kekkei Genkai like most clans in this damn village," Naruto interrupts. "To only fight those with talent...You're quite picky with your opponents aren't you?"

"Despite lack of any special kekkei genkai, getting a better look at you, you have quite an odd aura around you." When asked to fight him, Naruto denied Lee's request, to the bushy-browed boy's surprise, seeing as how they had less than 15 minutes before the exams.

"Can you spare at least 5 minutes, Mr. Third Wheel?"

"I was joking about that part, ya know. My name's Naruto Uzumaki." Lee's eyes widened when Naruto gave him his name.

 **"So you're the one Neji talks about."** Smiling, Lee asked Naruto again if he could spare 5 minutes of his time.

"I'd rather not fight before an exam this important since you gave my teammate a few scrapes here and there, but since it doesn't look like you'll take no for an answer...I'll spare two minutes at best. The fight is over once one of us gets knocked down," he told Lee before walking towards him. After getting into their proper fighting stances, Lee disappears in the blink of an eye, reappearing behind Naruto, prepared to use Leaf Whirlwind on him. To his surprise, Naruto, his hands in his pockets, ducked the first high kick before jumping over a low kick and ducking the second high kick. Quickly spinning his body to face Lee, the blond knocks him down with a simple but hard headbutt to the boy's chin, surprising him, Sakura and Sasuke.

 **"Ten seconds? He knocked me down in ten seconds?"** Lee thought to himself. From the expression the blond had on his face, Lee knew he wasn't fighting him with everything he had, wanting to get it done right away without going all out. If he did, how long would it take for him to beat him if he was serious? **"Naruto Uzumaki...What sort of strength lies within you?"**

"You're knocked down. The fight's done," said Naruto as he walked away, telling Sakura and Sasuke that they needed to get a move on.

"But-"

"I'm not showing you, Sasuke, or Lee everything I know. Wait until the fight really begins," Naruto calmly told Sakura before they're interrupted by a man appears who hits Rock Lee with a Dynamic Entry, surprising everyone. The man looked just like Lee, if not older, and he had on a flak jacket.

"What the hell?" said a confused Naruto.

"Lee...you..."

"Gu...Guy-sensei..."

"It's okay Lee, don't say anything else..." said the man known as Guy. Crying, the two hugged it out in front of the weirded out Team 7. "I forgive you, Lee! It's normal to make mistakes when you're young and full of youth."

 **"What is going on here..."** Team 7 thought to themselves.

"You three, how's Kakashi doing?" asked Guy as he turned to them.

"Just fine, wait...How do you know Kakashi-sensei?" asked Sakura, Guy informing them of their rivalry, and how the score was 49-50 with them. Naruto assures Guy that he'll tell him his rival said hello before turning back around. Before he could walk off, Lee tells him they should have a match again soon. The blond simply told him to do his best at the exams so they could fight without restraint, an answer Lee accepted, giving Naruto a thumbs-up.

"That Lee is quite a fellow," said Naruto. On the way to the testing room, Sasuke asked the blond how he was able to dodge Lee's attack as he did. When Lee fought him, he was at a huge disadvantage. Yet Naruto easily avoided his kicks and knocked him down.

"It was a simple attack to dodge for me, nothing too difficult, just good ole predicting the opponent's movements and dodging accordingly."

"...What are you hiding from us Naruto?" asked a suspicious Sasuke.

"Not a Sharingan," said Naruto, annoying his teammates.

 **Testing Room**

Entering, all eyes immediately focus on them.

"What is this? The Wild West?" Naruto joked. Sakura tells him not to antagonize the other ninja, with Naruto telling her to lighten up, since they can't fight in the room, let alone start one.

"Well well well, took you long enough to get here, Naruto." Naruto and his teammates look to their right and see Kiba and his team approaching them.

"The best team always comes last...Kiba," said a now-smirking Sasuke. Hinata looks over her teammate's shoulder and tells Naruto how glad she was to see him again. "Oh hey Hinata, how's it going?" he asked her with a small smile.

"Great, you?"

"More than great since I got back several days ago from my mission. How's your sister and your parents?" Hinata tells Naruto how her father asked where he was, wanting to spar with him. She also told him how her mother wanted a recipe from him she accidentally revealed to her. "I have no problem giving it to you. I'll send it to you later." Turning to Shino, the blond asked how he's been.

"Naruto, you've gotten stronger since you returned from the Land of Waves," said Shino.

"I did do some intense training the day after I got back so...that's something," Naruto responds.

"The gang's all here," said Shikamaru as he and his teammates make themselves known.

"With the way we've trained, no way you can beat us, especially you Naruto," said a confident Kiba.

"Oh, good for you," said a calm and unamused Naruto. The blond's expression annoyed Kiba, who yells, "Why do you always have to act so high and mighty over everyone, huh?" Naruto tells him he doesn't view himself that way, and that Kiba was making false assumptions.

The blond then told Kiba, in a calm manner, "Unlike you, I don't go around telling people there was no way they could beat you and your team. You're just painting a huge target on yourself, Akamaru, Hinata, and Shino for all the ninja in here to go after." Kiba clenched his teeth in annoyance at this response, finding himself unable to counter Naruto's response. Naruto's claims were correct as the large gathering of Genin on their left looked at them as prey.

"Would you guys do us a favor and just shut up?" Turning around, the Rookie 9 are approached by a boy with onyx eyes and ash-grey hair that was kept in a ponytail. He had on black-rimmed circular glasses and wore a dark purple shirt with a high collar, a white under-shirt, and dark purple pants with a white cloth waistband, as well as dark purple fingerless gloves with armored plates on the back of the hand and a blue forehead protector.

"You three gangs of would-be hotshots are all Genin, right? Kids barely out of the local ninja academy? All wet-behind-the-ears and runny-nosed!"

"Nice to meet you too, asshole," said Kiba, Shino lightly jabbing him in the gut with his elbow to nonverbally tell him to shut up.

"The name's Kabuto, and you kids need to open your eyes." When Sakura asked why Kabuto tells them to watch out for the ninjas from Amegakure since they had very short fuses. "Everyone's on edge, waiting to take the exam. I wanted to give you a heads-up before someone snaps and beats the crap out of you. Though that's probably unavoidable. Like all rookies, you think you already know everything. I remember what it was like."

"You make it sound like you've taken this before," said Sakura. It surprised her when he revealed the exam he was taking was his seventh attempt, twice a year for about four years. "Wow, then you've got a lot of experience with what we can expect."

"You could say that."

"Are the Chūnin Exams that difficult?" Shikamaru asked Kabuto. "This is getting pretty troublesome."

"Maybe I should give you guys some info that will save you the trouble, with these Recognition Cards."

"Recognition Cards?"

"Cards that can burn information on it by using chakra. The cards look blank to the naked eye, but when chakra is applied, various categories of data ranging from information about the Five Great Shinobi Countries to the ninja that inhabit them are displayed on the card, even in 3-D," Kabuto explains.

"Do you have any cards that have detailed personal information?" asked Sasuke.

"Yes, are there any people that interest you?" Kabuto asked, Sasuke replying with a yes.

"Rock Lee of the Hidden Leaf."

"Ah, you have his name, good." Kabuto takes out a card and adds his chakra to it, revealing info on Lee.

"Rock Lee is a year older than all of you. 20 D-Rank Missions and 11 C-Rank Missions. His Taijutsu skills are amazing, but ninjutsu and genjutsu are terrible."

"...Do you have information on Naruto?" Sasuke asked. Naruto looked at his teammate, wondering what was going on in his head. To everyone's surprise, as Kabuto's about to show them his card, Naruto grabs the ninja's hand and, in a threatening tone, told him, **_"Do that and information won't be the only thing you'll be leaking..."_** , as he tightened his grip. Looking at the blond, everyone wondered, what exactly was Naruto trying to hide from them?

"Naruto, you're making a scene," Hinata told her friend. Looking up, Naruto saw all eyes in the room on him. With a sigh, he lets go of Kabuto's arm.

"For a second there, I thought you'd break it."

"If Hinata wasn't here, I might have," Naruto adds.

"...That aside, there are a lot of talented Genin in this room, ready to take the exams. For the three ninja from the recently made Sound Village...I don't know. The Sound Village is small, so I don't think you have to worry about them. As you can see, all the other people here are top elites chosen by each country, excluding the Sound Ninjas. Although...one applicant to worry about is a Mugen Tenshin Kunoichi who applied by herself."

 **"Mugen Tenshin!?"** Naruto wondered who it might be as he surveyed the room.

"One kunoichi from a village is taking the exams without a team? Is that even possible?" asked Kiba.

"Given their extraordinary skills that surpass the other Shinobi villages, ninjas like them and the Hayabusa are allowed to enter by themselves," Kabuto responds.

In the crowd, three Sound Ninjas, hearing how Kabuto considered them not a threat, maneuvered through the crowd as they target Kabuto. The bespectacled ninja dodged Zaku's kunais before narrowly avoiding Dosu's punch, though the lenses on his glasses were destroyed as he fell on his hands and knees and hurled. Stepping back, satisfied, Dosu said to Kabuto, "You're a pushover, aren't you? Pretty sad for someone who's been an applicant for four years now."

"Better add this to your cards. The three applicants from Otogakure will all make Chunin this year, "said an arrogantly smiling Zaku.

"Alright maggots all eyes on me!" In that instant, Ibiki Morino and his group of sentinels appear out of nowhere, in front of the big blackboard at the other side of the room, getting everyone's attention. "My name's Ibiki Morino, and I am the first proctor of the Chūnin Exams." Pointing at the Sound Ninjas, he told them they couldn't carry on any way they pleased when the exams were about to start before asking them if they wanted to be disqualified so early into the first part. Dosu apologizes for himself and his teammates, telling the proctor they got a little carried away.

"Is that so? Then I guess it's high time I laid down a few ground rules. From this point forward, there'll be no more fighting without the express permission of the examining officer...and even if that permission is granted, anything that endangers another applicant's life is strictly forbidden. Anyone who breaks that rule is out. Disqualified, with no second chances." Once everyone understood the rule, it was time for them to take the (paper) test.

The point of the test was to use their info gathering skills to pass it, i.e. Cheat without being caught doing it by the sentinels or else a single three-man cell failed and had to be escorted out the door. For Naruto, answering it was child's play for him. Next to him was Hinata, who was able to answer the first three questions. Seeing her having trouble answering the next question, Naruto secretly gave her hints by moving/tapping his finger in a way that mimicked Morse Code. Hearing this, she understood that, while a few people around them found it an annoyance, it was a message only she and her friend knew. Smiling to herself, she thanked him in Morse Code by tapping her pencil.

 **45 minutes later...**

"Alright, get ready for the tenth question!" yelled Ibiki. Everyone looks up from their test papers as they wonder what about the tenth question. "Before we get to it, however...I'm adding one more new rule. This one...IS ABSOLUTE!" Most of the genin in the room started becoming tense as sweat started forming and flowed down their faces.

"First, you must choose whether to accept or reject this tenth question."

"Ch-Choose!? What happens if someone doesn't accept the question!?" yelled Temari.

"If you reject the question and don't even try answering it, you'll lose all your points immediately and fail. Your teammates will also fail as well. If you try to answer the question and get it wrong...You will never be permitted to apply for the Chunin Exams again.

"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS! THAT'S RIDICULOUS! THERE ARE NINJA HERE WHO HAVE SAT FOR THE EXAMS MORE THAN ONCE ALREADY! WE KNOW THERE ARE!" yelled Kiba.

"Just your rotten luck. I wasn't making the rules in past years. I am now," Ibiki responds, an intimidatingly sadistic smile on his face. "You can take a failing grade and try again next time. After all, anyone who has doubts would be smart to reject the tenth question right now. Come back and reapply next year and the year after that. Now that I've finished explaining things, those who choose not to accept should raise their hands. Once their number's been confirmed, they will leave the room." The room became silent. Genin started looking at one another, wondering if any of them were willing to answer the tenth question or raise their hand and try again next year. One by one, a few three-man cells started raising their hands as their numbers were called and started walking out of the room.

Naruto turned to Hinata and saw her tense up, wondering whether to raise her hand or not. Putting his hand on top of hers, he told her, "It'll be alright, Hinata. I assure you, you'll pass this..." This helped to get rid of any doubts in her. After 10 long minutes, only 78 genins were left. Ibiki, looking at each and every one of them, asked if anyone else wanted to call quits. When no one said anything or raised their hands, he said, "Good call. Everyone who's still here...YOU'VE JUST PASSED THE FIRST EXAM!" This served to surprise everyone still present in the room.

"Wait, we passed?" asked Sakura. "When did that happen? What about the-"

"There is no tenth question," Ibiki interrupts, a smile on his face that didn't look sadistic or cold, but welcoming. "Well, beyond the whole "Accept or Reject" thing."

"THEN WHY DID WE HAVE TO SUFFER THROUGH THE NINE QUESTIONS!? Temari yelled. "THAT WAS A TOTAL WASTE OF OUR TIME!"

"There was no waste, I assure you. The questions had a purpose, which they already served. Your goal was to test your skills at, I said you pass or fail as a part of a three-man cell. With that rule, I pressured you with the fear that anything you did wrong would bring your teammates down with you. Given that these questions are beyond that of a level Genin could be expected to handle, you'd have to resort to cheating to retain your points. To ensure there would be suitable targets for you to cheat from, we snuck in a pair of ringers who already knew the answers. As for the accept or reject, as a ninja, you WILL be assigned to missions you cannot decline, no matter how dangerous the risk...Above all that, a ninja must demonstrate valor and the willingness to help those to overcome their fears." Once Ibiki finished speaking, Hinata looked at Naruto as the latter gave her a small smile, the Hyuuga doing the same.

"Part one of the exams if now concluded. You can all leave and-" Before Ibiki can finish his sentence, Anko Mitarashi spectacularly crashes through the window as she yells, "Heads up, boys and girls, this is no time to be celebrating! I'll be your next proctor. Anko Mitarashi. Are you ready for the second test? Good! Then let's go, follow me!" Everyone is silent as they wonder what was going on.

"...I'd give that entrance an 8/10," said Naruto.

"Your entrance is childish, Anko." Anko turned red when Ibiki told her what he thought of her entrance. Looking around the room, she asked him if he went easy on the 78 genins still present in the room. "Nonsense."

 **Forest of Death**

"Welcome...to the Forest of Death," said Anko as everyone focused their attention on the "No Trespassing" sign on the gate in front of them before turning to the second proctor.

"Inside the forest is a river, and a tower located in the exact center; the forest's radius is about ten kilometers. The tower is your team's destination after collecting two scrolls, one with the kanji for Heaven, and another with the kanji for Earth on it. There are many of these scrolls scattered all around the forest. You and your team will be separated at the beginning of the exam. Once you collect both scrolls, rendezvous with your team and head towards the tower within the five-day limit. If you find a team with the opposite scroll, you can steal it by any means necessary, and if you ever open the scrolls before you enter the tower...well you'll have to find that out for yourselves. Any questions?"

"What do we do for food?" asked Choji, raising his hand.

"It's a forest, I'm sure you'll be able to find food in the forest. Any other questions?...Good. Now before we begin, each person must grab a headset and sign these release forms, acknowledging that the proctors will not be held responsible for any deaths. You have an hour to prepare so take your time."

 **58 minutes later**

After conversing with Sasuke and Sakura a bit, Naruto decided to look over his equipment as Hinata walks to him and calls his name to get his attention.

"Something you need Hinata?" he asked.

"Thanks for holding my hand. If you didn't I..." Clenching her fists, she told him how she wished she was as calm and brave as Naruto, being fearless in the face of everything that was thrown at him.

"It's okay to be afraid Hinata. Even I get afraid...If there's nothing to be afraid of, you can never hope to get stronger and learn from these fears..." Curious, Hinata asked her friend what he was afraid of. "I can't answer that..."

"Why? I'm your friend...right?"

"You are my friend Hinata. I mean-"

"Then why don't you ever tell me a bit more about you? I, along with the others, have been very open with you about our problems, and you've helped us handle it sometimes, yet when it comes to you, you're not open with us. That's not fair." Naruto had no idea how to respond to that. Before he could say anything, they were called to get ready for the second part of the exams.

"If I'm able, I'll tell you..." Unlike the other exams, the Genin were split up, having to rendezvous with their teammates within the Forest of Death itself. Sasuke was tasked with protecting the Heaven Scroll as the three looked for a team that held an Earth Scroll. Once the gates open, every Genin enters the forest.

Naruto jumped from tree to tree as he made his way to his teammate, or tried to at least since he entered through a different part of the forest. As he maneuvered through it, he recalled the conversation he had with Hinata.

 **"Then why don't you ever tell me a bit more about you? I, along with the others, have been very open with you about our problems, and you've helped us handle it sometimes, yet when it comes to you, you're not open with us. That's not fair."** Immediately after exiting his thoughts, Naruto heard three shurikens flying at him before moving out of the way. Landing on a large branch on another tree, Naruto turns around and sees a large snake rise up from the ground. Opening its wide mouth wide, the large snake attempts to swallow him, only for Naruto to jump high in the air and bring his fist down on it, forcing its mouth to quickly close as its fangs stab through its own lower jaw. With a Moonsault Slash, Naruto splits its head down the middle, killing it. Right after, the snake bursts into smoke.

"A summoning?" Feeling a dark presence, Naruto turns around and throws a sidekick at whoever was foolish enough to sneak up on him. To his surprise, it was a Genin from Kusagakure, who managed to catch his kick with his right hand. The Kusa-nin summons snakes from his left sleeve to strike the blond, Naruto quickly frees himself by kicking the ninja with his left leg, knocking him off the branch they were standing on as the snakes miss him by an inch.

 **"Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere!"** The blond genin takes a deep breath and exhales several small blasts of wind chakra at the Kusa-nin, managing to graze his right leg and hit him in the left shoulder and side. Despite these injuries, the Kusa-nin quickly recovers and lands on a branch lower than the one Naruto was on. To his disgust, Naruto watched from where he was standing as the Genin wiped some blood from his left shoulder wound with his right pointing and middle fingers, amused by it before licking it off his fingers.

"To injure me this quickly...How amusing. What else do you have to show me?" asked the Kusa-nin as he advanced towards Naruto.

The blond takes a deep breath and exhales several small blasts of wind chakra at the Kusa-nin, only this time, he started stretching and coiling around the wooden branches to avoid the small wind projectiles before appearing above the blond Genin, reading his left fist. Naruto avoids the Kusa-nin's punch, the impact of his fist creating a small crater. Following that, the blond Genin performed three backflips as he avoids three snakes rising from under him. A fourth one strikes when his back is against a tree, only to be caught in his left grip. With a powerful tug, Naruto pulls the Kusa-nin towards him and punches him in the face, sending him falling downward.

His opponent recovers and summons snakes to wrap around a convenient tree branch he was able to grab before swinging upward, delivering a kick to the unexpected blond's chin, drawing blood from Naruto, causing him to fall off the tree branch he was on. Naruto recovers as he quickly slides down a large vine and lands safely on the ground as his opponent summons a large snake.

"At least I know who summoned that last snake," he said to himself as he avoids the large snake's bite before throwing three explosive tech shuriken at the Kusa-nin. His opponent smirks as he summons snakes from his sleeves to smother them as they explode, remaining unfazed as the snakes are destroyed.

Immediately, Naruto appears in front of him from the smoke as he performs a **Cannon Spike** , launching the surprised Kusa-nin into the air before performing a **Gyro Drive Smasher** on his opponent, the impact from the drop crushing the large snake's head, killing it as he incapacitates his foe with a neck breaker.

"I may have overdone it..." Checking for a pulse, Naruto sighed a breath of relief as he heard a pulse. "Good, he's alive...For a slippery snake, he hits hard." Checking for a scroll, Naruto found an Earth Scroll in his possession and took it. Putting it in his pocket, Naruto got up as he prepared to jump. Before he did, however, a snake rises from the ground and opens its mouth, revealing a long blade that stabs through the blond's chest, shocking him as he coughs blood. Turning around, his eyes widened when the Kusa-nin gets up and turns to him, his mouth connected to the snake that stabbed him.

"Truly impressive, as expected from the Kyuubi's host."

"How the hell...do you know about that?" asked wounded Naruto as the Kusa-nin walks towards him as the snake returns to his mouth. The blond genin drops to his knees, clutching his chest wound as the Kusa-nin grabs him by the throat with his left hand and lifts him up from the ground.

"Because I used to be part of the Hidden Leaf. I was hoping you'd use the Kyuubi's chakra to fight me, but it seems that you can't use it. I wonder, how can I draw its power out? Oh well, I'm not looking to face it. After all, I'm after something better...Your teammate Sasuke."

"What... are you going on about?"

"If I told you, it'd be troublesome. I was lucky to have found you before you could rendezvous with him. You'd be a huge nuisance to me, one that needs to be dealt with." With his right hand, the Kusa-nin performs the Five Elements Seal on him, causing Naruto great pain before he fell unconscious. Finished, the Kusa-nin drops him to the ground.

"I have no interest in the exams, so you can keep the Earth Scroll as gratitude for putting up a fight." Turning around, the Kusa-nin goes off to hunt for Sasuke.

 **Dream?**

I'm your friend...right?"

"You are my friend Hinata." Naruto's eyes widened when Hinata called him a liar.

"You don't trust me with what and how you feel. You don't trust anyone. After knowing you for so long, you still can't open up? I guess I was wrong to make you my friend," she told him, anger in her eyes as she turned away. Naruto tries to run to her, only to find his feet stuck in what appeared to be blood.

"You don't deserve to have companions." Turning around, Naruto's confused to see Iruka looking at him with rage and anger. "To think I considered you family and took care of you, the one who killed my parents."

"It wasn't me, it was-"

"Why do you act the way you are? Do you like being alone? Enjoy it even. That must be it. After all, a demon like you knows nothing about connections," he interrupts. "You care for no one but yourself. That explains why you always have that uncaring look on your face."

"You're wrong, that's not-" Before he could say anything, everything turns black.

 _ **"This is all that waits for you and me...Nothing."**_ Turning around, Naruto sees himself. The only difference was that his eyes were yellow, and the sclerae were darkened. _**"Nothing...We will die one day. Alone...No one will miss us...No one will be there at our last moments alive...You and me...Loneliness is our end...There's no escaping this fate."**_

 **Dream? End**

Naruto gets up screaming before heavily panting. Looking at him was a surprised kunoichi. Looking at her, she was a slender, physically-fit and petite young and beautiful girl, about 13-years old. She had amber eyes that complimented her copper brown hair. She had on a black cloak to cover her ninja attire.

"You're up..." she told him as she hands him a fish that had just finished cooking by the fire. Thanking her, he took a bite out of it as she smiled at him. "You were out since yesterday. Had to save you from getting your scroll stolen by some enemy genin. I also snagged you a Heaven Scroll along the way so you're welcome."

"I see...Wait...Yesterday? You mean-"

"Yes, a day has passed."

"A whole day...Who are you? And why save me?"

"Oh, didn't Ayane tell you about me?" she asked Naruto.

"Ayane? Wait, that means...You're her sister!" Smiling, the kunoichi introduced herself as Kasumi, Ayane's older sister. "So you're the Mugen Tenshin kunoichi Kabuto warned us about."

"That's me. The reason for saving you is because I wanted to thank you personally for Ayane talking to me again," she adds, smiling as Naruto finished his fish. "When the second exams started, I went through a few genin to find you. I never expected to meet you like this. She told me you were a very capable ninja."

"I...I simply underestimated my opponent."

"That sounds like something my sister would do...You were talking to yourself in your sleep." Naruto had a look of surprise when Kasumi told him that.

"What did I say?"

"Something about being someone's friend and telling another person it wasn't you..." she answered. "Must be quite an intense dream for you to talk in your sleep. Mind talking to me about it?" Kasumi asked. While they did just meet, Kasumi wasn't one to ignore when something was bothering another person. She wanted to listen and see if she could help out. "Seeing as how Ayane opened up to me after so long, she must've confided in you about things she could never tell me. So...what do you say? You want to talk about it?"

"...You did help save my life and offer me fish, so it's the least I can do," Naruto responds. "...I never told my...friend this...Never wanted to...But...I may be afraid of ghosts, but the one thing I am scared of the most is...being alone."

"Alone?"

"As the Kyuubi's host, I'm obviously hated by a large majority of the village. I was a very sad kid back then, crying like a baby. Eventually, the crying stopped once I realized no one was going to feel sorry for or pity me. So I stopped being sad, improving on myself, relying on no one but myself. I was looking after me, and only me, no one else, and I was okay with it. It was through the Third Hokage that I slowly became friends with someone named Iruka, despite a somewhat rocky start. From there, I met a girl who wanted to be my friend, and then after that, I made a few more friends. I hate to admit it, but part of me was happy to hear that they wanted to be friends with me. At the same time, it scared me."

"Scared you how?" asked Kasumi.

"I've seen people die in front of me when I was 11. Good people...I ended up killing the ones who caused their deaths and injuring someone I cared about...I thought after all that, I wouldn't have to experience that ever again. But I was wrong. There's this teammate of mine, huge ass by the name of Sasuke Uchiha. Well, he used to be a huge one...He almost died during a mission we were on...At that moment, I wondered, as his body dropped to the floor, "How could I let it happen to me again? It could be any one of my friends in his shoes. Would all the fights I happen across end with me losing them one by one, with me being left alone to die in the end? No one there at my side in my final moments? That's what scares me. Being and dying alone, and forgotten. Yesterday, my frien- best friend asked me if I was scared of anything..."

"Let me guess, you couldn't answer her?" Kasumi was correct as Naruto admits it to her. "Why haven't you told her?"

"I felt that...if I told her, she'd promise me she wouldn't die, only to lose her life because of me...That's why I never told her. I'm afraid she'd end up dying because of me. Because I'm her friend."

"Hmmm...Hinata, did you hear all that?" said Kasumi, a smile on her face. Naruto's eyes widened when Kasumi said that. Coming out from behind a large tree, a teary-eyed Hinata went over to her friend and hugged him.

 _"You should've told me this yesterday Naruto..."_ she told her friend.

"I bumped into her while I was looking for you. She asked me to do this," Kasumi informed Naruto.

 _"You should be more open like this instead of keeping it to yourself. If you can't do that, then..."_ Putting his hand on her head, Naruto told her she was right, and that he was truly at fault for not telling her before apologizing to her.

"I'm not great at talking about myself...and I don't always understand how other people feel because of me. But...I'll try being more open about them," he told her. Two seconds after he said that, he felt a sharp pain pulsating from within that made him wince. Worried, Hinata asked him if he was okay. "No, my body is..." Going over to him, Kasumi found the Five Elements Seal on his stomach.

"This seal...it's messing with your chakra network. Unfortunately, I am not my sister, who knows more about this than me. If you want to get rid of it, you must get to that tower," said Kasumi. "Without chakra, you're bound to be easy-"

"I'm fine...I can feel the pain, but I can manage," Naruto interrupts as he gets up. Worried, Hinata asked if he was sure. "I am..." Looking into his eyes, Hinata could tell he was telling the truth. "Besides, chakra's not the only thing I can use."

 **A few minutes later...**

It was a surprise to Kasumi and Hinata when Naruto told them he knew magic. At the moment, Naruto was following them with no trouble at all. With every step, a magic circle appeared from under his foot, accelerating his movements for a split second. Right now, they were on their way to meet up with Sakura, who was in trouble earlier, being attacked by the three Sound Ninjas. Lucky for her, Lee, Ino, Shikamaru, Choji, Tenten, Neji, Kiba, and Shino came to their rescue. As they made their way to their friends, Kasumi decided to ask the blond, "So who taught you this sort of magic?"

"Tatsuya Shiba. He told me how using this type of acceleration magic for a split second would increase its effectiveness. We would go running like this to the ninjutsu master he knew every morning as we followed his sister. There's more he taught me, but I'm not willing to show people that."

"Is there a reason why?" asked Hinata.

"Element of surprise. Make my opponents think I am defenseless and unable to use chakra. Hit them hard with something they can't understand. It's pretty much a last resort. It's a good thing I have a lot of chakra at my disposal, giving me the advantage. But now that my chakra's been messed with, I have to use it for now...Are we getting close?" Hinata nods as they keep going.

 **10 minutes later...**

Naruto, Hinata and Kasumi meet up with the other, who tell them how glad they were to see them safe before noticing the Mugen Tenshin kunoichi's presence.

"Naruto, who's that girl?" asked Shikamaru.

"She's the Mugen Tenshin kunoichi Kabuto told us about...Where's Sakura and Sasuke? Are they okay?" asked Naruto. Shikamaru tells his friend that Sakura was okay, resting from overexerting herself from protecting Sasuke by herself. "She actually protected him? I find that hard to believe."

"Well, she did. As for Sasuke...He's fine but..."

"But what?" Naruto asked. Ino tells him about how he was bitten by a man with pale skin, and how he had a strange mark on his neck. Neji interrupts, telling Naruto, "He's at the river behind me. It's best if you saw him yourself..." Looking over Neji's shoulder, he found Sasuke standing by himself before making his way to him.

"Sasuke, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, in fact, I'm better than I was before," he told the blond genin, a smile on his face.

"Sasuke...everyone's worried about you. They think that-" Sasuke interrupts him, telling Naruto he was fine, and that they were worried about nothing. "Nothing? Then explain that mark on your neck."

"That's rich, coming from you, who keeps things to yourself," Sasuke countered. Naruto said nothing as he wondered what would happen next. However, instead, he sensed someone's presence.

"You must be foolish to think I wouldn't notice you. Come out of there." Naruto is surprised to find Kabuto coming out from behind a tree.

"You got me..."

"Kabuto?" Turning to the bespectacled ninja, Sasuke prepared to attack him before Naruto stopped him. Turning to Kabuto, he asked him what scroll he had.

"An Earth Scroll. You?"

"Earth and Heaven..." Naruto replied. Kabuto tells him he has no intention of fighting since his teammates have already obtained a Heaven Scroll.

"While I'm lucky to have fought some basic level Genin to get my scroll, I know that I don't stand a chance against other shinobi. That's why I've decided to come to you for help. My teammates are already at the tower so..."

"...Your teammates must be very cold to leave you to fend for yourself..." After some thought, Naruto decides to consult with the others. After talking about it, the Konoha 12 decide to allow Kabuto to accompany them since all four teams had both scrolls. Kasumi left to head to the tower by herself, telling Naruto he should be able to get to it with the friends he had at the moment. Smiling, he thanked her for looking out for him and for getting him a Heaven Scroll after Orochimaru burned theirs.

"It's the least I can do for everything you've done for me, even though you didn't meet me until now. One last thing though...What do you think about my sister?"

"Ayane? She's...a very scary girl, but she can be nice once you get to know her." Curious, she asked him if that was all he thought about her.

"Pretty sure." Kasumi knew he was lying, but decided not to ask further. After all, the answer was all over his face.

 **40 minutes later**

The group made haste as they advanced towards the tower. From afar, Orochimaru watched them, mainly Sasuke.

"Hmmmm, time to test Sasuke and his Cursed Seal of Heaven. Summoning Technique!" As they were jumping from tree branch to tree branch, Kabuto noticed something coming their way.

"Everyone, look out!" Looking behind, they see a large three-headed snake coming towards them before jumping out of its way.

"Whoa! That's a big one!" Ino yelled.

"Eh, I've seen bigger snakes," Naruto joked, Shikamaru telling the blond it wasn't a good time to crack one.

"There's 13 of us and one of it, we can take it!" yelled Kiba, who was ready to fight it. To their surprise, the three-headed snake splits into three separate snakes.

"You just had to say that.." said an annoyed Naruto, looking at Kiba. The snakes start shooting venom at the group. As they dodge their venom blasts, Naruto noticed the venom burning some of the tree's leaves. "It's acidic, be careful."

"We have to split up, each team will take out one snake," Shino told the others, Naruto agreeing with him. Naruto, Tenten, Sasuke, and Shikamaru go in one direction while Neji, Hinata, Kabuto, and Shino go in the opposite direction. Kiba, Chōji, Ino, Rock Lee and Sakura battle with the remaining snake.

"So, what's the plan?" Tenten asked the blond. Before he could respond, Sasuke yelled, "This one's mine!" Naruto tries to stop him, only to watch as Sasuke's cursed mark activates, spreading flame-like markings across his body. Sasuke punches the snake, sending it crashing into the ground as the blond genin looked visibly surprised by his teammate's newfound strength.

"Stay out of this! I can handle this one!" he told them as he jumps at the snake and prepares to attack it again, only to be knocked back by its tail, landing next to Naruto as Tenten and Shikamaru distract it.

"Sasuke, you're not yourself. Stay back and let us handle this."

"You guys will only hold me back!" Sasuke yelled, looking at Naruto.

"Guys, no time to argue, we need help!" Shikamaru interrupts as Tenten throws a few kunai, with explosive tags attached to them, at the snake as she avoids its tail whip.

 _ **"Move out of the way, Naruto, or else I'll make you,"**_ Sasuke told him in a threatening tone.

"That thing on your neck is affecting your mind and your chakra. Stand down."

"Why!? Are you scared that I've gotten stronger than you? Jealous?"

"What? No, that is not your own power you're using, it's that thing on your neck that's giving it to you!" Naruto countered. "If you're relying on power like that, what sort of ninja are you?"

 _ **"Get out of my way, or else."**_ With a sigh, Naruto apologized to him as he used the basic oscillation type spell "Compound Waves" to cause a hallucinogenic effect on the Uchiha, knocking him out. The markings on his body disappear after.

"What do we do now?" asked Shikamaru. Quickly surveying their surroundings, Naruto finds a tree with a tight hole underneath it.

"Follow me." Shikamaru does what he's told and follows Naruto, Sasuke over the blond's shoulder, and Tenten as the snake gets up and chases after them. They manage to trap it in a hole underneath a tree before Naruto cupped his hands together to gather ki energy, forming an orange sphere before thrusting his hands forward to shoot out a streaming, powerful beam of energy that went through the snake's mouth and exited through the back, killing it. **(It's not a Kamehameha. It may look like it, but it's not.)** The attack surprised Shikamaru and Tenten, the former asking what that was. "It's complicated..." After saying that, Naruto's body got heavy as he fell to his knees. He knew it was risky to use that much ki energy, but he had to be sure the attack killed the snake.

"You okay Naruto?" asked Tenten, the blond telling her he was just tired from using the attack. Having said that, he asked her if she could carry him on her back. Rendezvousing with the others, having to carry Naruto, Tenten asked if they were okay.

"My hair's ruined," said Sakura. Ino tells them how the giant snake they fought had caught her by her hair and she had to cut it to free herself. Looking at Naruto, Hinata asked if he was okay.

"I'm fine, I just overexerted myself is all. How did-"

"Shino choked the large snake we were fighting to death with his insects," Hinata interrupts. The blond turned his attention towards Shino and tells him "...That's pretty dark, Shino."

"It tried to kill us."

"...Good point." Looking at Sasuke, Sakura asked Shikamaru what happened to him.

"He...got knocked out by the snake we were fighting," he told her. Shikamaru had to lie for Naruto, aware of what happened. Looking at Kabuto, he noticed his left leg was a bit burned, asking him what happened.

"During the fight, the snake hit me with its acidic venom. I'll be fine, don't worry."

"Well, at least you're still alive..."

 **Forest Tower**

The group finally reach the entrance of the tower, where Kabuto's teammates, Yoroi and Misumi, were waiting for him. After saying goodbye to him, the Konoha 12 entered the tower.

"Well, we're here. I guess we should open the scrolls now," said Shikamaru. Naruto, Shino, Shikamaru, and Neji open their Heaven and Earth Scrolls, causing smoke to come out of them. Throwing them down to the floor, they summon Jōnins Might Guy, Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yūhi, and Kakashi Hatake, the latter congratulating them for making it to the tower before noticing an unconscious Sasuke.

"...What happened to Sasuke?" asked Kakashi, Naruto telling him how they ran into a bit of trouble, which ended with Sasuke being knocked out by an enemy. "Well, at least you three are here in one piece."

"So what happens now?" asked Choji.

"There are still more Genin teams coming so once the five-day limit is up, we'll start the next round of the Chūnin Exams," said Asuma. "This place has its own lounge, hot springs, training rooms and bedrooms to use so rest easy, train hard, and be ready to give it your all in four days."

"I could really use a hot springs bath. I smell really bad," said Ino, smelling herself after.

"Wow! I need a bath too!" Kiba yelled after sniffing his armpit. As the afternoon turned to night, the guys took time to relax and ready themselves for when the next part of the exams start. Naruto had informed Kakashi of the cursed seal on Sasuke, with the Jonin assuring Naruto it wouldn't kill the Uchiha and that he was working on a temporary solution for it.

Near the end of the night, Naruto met up with Kasumi, who was glad that he made it, telling him how she looked forward to fighting him in the exams before going off to train by herself. Entering his room, he found Ayane waiting for him.

"So you've met my sister..."

"Yeah..."

"She...told me about the seal that was messing with your chakra network." Naruto shows her the seal as she looked it over. "Five Elements Seal, huh? This is a powerful fūinjutsu...it's a good thing that I have a remedy for that." Behind her back, the fingertips on her right hand were glowing blue.

"Really, what is-"

"Five Elements Unseal!" Ayane strikes Naruto in the stomach with her right hand. Immediately, the blond drops on the floor and clutches his stomach in pain as the Five Elements Seal is removed. "There you go, seal removed," she told him as he got up.

"You could've told me what you were going to do!" he yelled.

"That was for seeing me naked."

"That was a few days ago." Looking away, the blushing Ayane told him, "I know that...How do you feel?"

"Tired..."

"The unsealing tends to do that. Get some rest. I'll be helping you train before the next part of the exams begin." When asked if she was okay with training him, given her job as a representative of the Mugen Tenshin Clan, she told him, "My brother's handling it..."

"Brother?"

"Hayate, I told you about him, idiot."

"I forgot..." With a sigh, Ayane tells him to rest. "You don't...have to...tell me twice..." With that, Naruto passed out from the effects of the unsealing. Making sure he was asleep, Ayane couldn't help but look at his lips once more. Blushing, she was about to claim them when Kasumi walked in on her, wanting to ask if her sister wanted to train with her, only to stop when she saw her sister inches away from kissing the sleeping Naruto.

"Oh my..." Closing the door slowly, she told her, "I'll let you continue where you left off..." Embarrassed, Ayane, red in the face, got up to chase her sister.

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

 **In this chapter, I wanted to show a rare fear Naruto barely told anyone, mainly the idea of being alone and losing people. I feel that this Naruto, while brave and calm, is truly a scared person on the inside. He feels that he should be the person his friends rely on and not the other way around, he doesn't want to be seen as a vulnerable person. The only ones who know of this are Ayane, Kasumi, and Hinata.** **With Hinata asking if they were truly friends, it puts Naruto in a spot he was uncomfortable with in their conversation and it reveals his thoughts on Sasuke's "death" during the Land of Waves Arc.**

 **Yes, Naruto is not limited to chakra. Not only does he know ki energy, but he also learned magic from Tatsuya Shiba himself, as well as some magic from Luvia Edelfelt after being forced to serve as her personal butler during his visit/stay in London during his four years away from Konoha. It'll be shown in Road to Journey to Now, which I have yet to continue to work on.**

 **With this knowledge, Naruto didn't want to reveal what cards he had under his sleeve, aware of the problems it'd bring, only using it as a last resort. Naruto will show off what he can do once an event in a later chapter forces him to go all out.**

 **The next chapter will complete the preliminaries before Naruto goes to the Hayabusa Village to train, where he meets a person who will play a huge part in his life.**


	6. Chapter 6

**The next part of this will finish the preliminaries. From here, the next one or two, maybe three chapters will focus on Naruto and his stay at the Hayabusa Clan Village.**

 **Chunin Exams Part II**

 **Four Days Later**

"You're withdrawing from the exams?" Sakura asked Kabuto as the seven remaining teams listened to the Third Hokage's explanation of the preliminaries.

"Naruto, I can tell that I won't make it, just by looking at the people I'll possibly have to face," he told him. "I've seen some of the things your friends can do, and it's pretty intimidating, to say the least. I wouldn't even last a few good minutes with either of them on a 1-on-1 match."

"You won't know unless you try," Naruto adds.

"Maybe, but I know my limits and when to call it quits. This is one of them." Though Sakura didn't like the idea of Kabuto quitting so early when he's come this far, she and Naruto allow Kabuto to leave.

"That said, I would like to have our third proctor, Hayate Gekkō, continue with the explanations," said the Third Hokage, leaving right after.

"Thank you, Lord Hokage. Welcome to the elimination round. I am the third proctor, Hayate Gekkō. In the elimination round, only 10 Genin will make it to the next round, and since there's 21 Genin, one Genin will fight an extra round."

 **"Hopefully, it's not me..."** Shikamaru thought to himself. Hayate pulls out a box and picks a random piece of paper from it. Looking at it, he told them Naruto would be fighting an extra round.

 **"Just my luck..."** Naruto thought as he sighed. Looking at Sasuke, he hoped he wouldn't do anything to unleash the cursed seal. Kakashi gave him specific instructions, mainly to not use his Sharingan, since the cursed mark responds to flows of chakra. If it got out of control, Kakashi would have to intervene and stop the match to control it.

"Alright then, the first match will be Sasuke Uchiha vs. Yoroi," Gekko finished, Sakura, looking at Sasuke, worried if he'll be able to perform well with the handicap he was given. Yoroi was a ninja who could absorb chakra with his touch. Once the non-combatants walked up to the balconies to watch the fight, Yoroi quickly closed the distance between himself and the Uchiha, who tried his best to fight off his opponent. However, the cursed seal prevented him from performing at the peak of his abilities, allowing Yoroi to grab Sasuke by his head and absorb his chakra.

It seemed hopeless for Sasuke at first. But after recalling his fight with Lee, Sasuke managed to best his opponent by hitting him with his new taijutsu technique: The Lion Combo. After checking on the now-unconscious Yoroi, Hayate declared Sasuke the winner. Right after, Kakashi appeared behind the Uchiha and asked him to come with him so he could seal off the cursed mark. Without saying anything, Sasuke relents, disappearing with the Jonin.

"Next match: Zaku Abumi vs. Naruto Uzumaki," Gekko announced. Naruto jumps down onto the ring as Zaku enters as well. Looking at him, he asked his opponent if he was okay fighting without the use of his arms, aware of how Sasuke dislocated them when he was influenced by the cursed seal. With an arrogant grin, he told the blond Genin he could take him down with one arm tied, so to speak, as he revealed that one of his arms had recovered.

"Hey proctor, start the match, I wanna flatten this guy right away," Zaku yelled. Though annoyed by Zaku ordering him to start the match, the Proctor simply lets out a sight and begins the match. "Decapitating Airwave!" Zaku launched a powerful supersonic blast of air at Naruto, who simply stepped aside in order to avoid it.

"What!?" Angry, Zaku decides to use the same attack again, only for Naruto to avoid it without any effort at all.

"Never thought I'd have to fight a spammer in real life. I much prefer fighting them online. This is just sad...Either your opponents were genin-level or they forgot how to dodge," Naruto told him, sounding unimpressed. Annoyed, Zaku fires a powerful version of it, called the Extreme Decapitating Airwaves, a massive gust of cutting wind. With a sigh, Naruto simply appears behind Zaku to avoid the attack.

"By the amount of power that attack had, it must use up a lot of chakra. Also, is blowing wind out of your palms your only technique? I mean I can do the same thing. And based on the name of the technique, were you trying to make it sound dangerous? I'd give that name an F." Turning around, Zaku blasts him again, only to miss. Following that, Naruto quickly finished him off by performing a forward somersault with his legs outstretched, kicking him twice before pushing off him with both feet and slamming his opponent to the ground.

"Looks like only two applicants from Otogakure will make Chunin this year, "said Naruto, reminding Zaku of the thing he told Kabuto, angering him as he slowly passed out. "You had the chance to walk away. Should've taken it..."

"The winner is Naruto Uzumaki..." As soon as the medics came in to take Zaku away, Naruto walked back up to Sakura and Lee, the latter complimenting his attack. "It was nothing special..."

"I don't know, I thought that attack was pretty impressive." Naruto turned to see Kasumi approach them. "Congrats on winning."

"Thanks...Where's your sister?" Kasumi tells him how she got called by their brother to help out with something important.

"Next match, Shino Aburame vs. Kasumi." Hearing her name being called out, she told the blond to wish her good luck before jumping down to the arena.

 **Elsewhere**

At another location, Kakashi had just finished writing several blood-written sealing formulas all over Sasuke's body.

"Alright listen up Sasuke. I'm going to use the Evil Sealing Method on you. I must warn you, once I begin the Evil Sealing Method, you will start feeling a lot of pain." As soon as Sasuke told him to do it and get it over with, Kakashi placed his hand on the Uchiha's cursed mark as he uses the Evil Sealing Method. Sasuke screams in pain until the process is done, the young genin heavily panting on the floor. "Should the cursed mark activate, the Evil Sealing Formula will stop it. However, it utilizes your will as its main source. If you lose faith in your power and your will sways...the cursed mark will reactivate..." Immediately after, Sasuke falls unconscious.

"...Anko, I know you're there." Anko appears from behind one of the pillars in the room they're in, telling Kakashi she was just checking up to see if his sealing technique would blow up in his face. "Very funny...someone else is here as well."

"Well well well, I see you can do sealing techniques now, Kakashi." Turning around, the two sports defensive and angry looks on their faces as Orochimaru makes himself known.

"Orochimaru, the former student of the Third Hokage and one of the Legendary Sannin."

"You've grown, Kakashi...Anko."

"Orochimaru-sensei."

"You're in the way of my new host body. I suggest you two step aside and let me have Sasuke," said Orochimaru, Kakashi voicing how he wasn't going to let him take the Uchiha without a fight. "You both know that even if you two fight me at the same time, you won't be able to defeat me."

"Then I guess I should cut in." Orochimaru's eyes widened in fear when Ryu Hayabusa appeared, his Dragon Sword in hand. "One wrong move, and I'll end your life right where you stand." If there was anything or anyone Orochimaru feared, it was the Hayabusa Clan. He recalled facing one several years back, being close to death before managing to make a getaway and transfer his soul into another host.

"Tch, I will have Sasuke, and there's nothing you can do about it. He will want power, a power only I can give him. Just you wai-" Before Ryu could kill Orochimaru, the former Sannin teleported, surviving with just a cut on his right cheek that burned him, forcing him to shed his skin. As Ryu sheathed his Dragon Sword, Kakashi thanked him for showing up when he did.

"No need to thank me. What matters is that Sasuke's cursed mark is sealed and kept in check."

"Well, now that the sealing's done, I have to get back to my Genin. Can you take Sasuke to the hospital? I have to stick around and root for my kids."

"Sure..."

 **Chunin Exams**

Back at the exams, Kasumi finished off Shino using Thunders of Tenjin, a technique that involved her launching Shino into the air and wrapping her legs around his neck and backflipping downwards, smashing his head to the ground.

 **"I think she overdid it."** Naruto thought to himself as the proctor declared Kasumi the winner. Medics come and put Shino on a stretcher before preparing to carry him off.

"Will he be alright?" asked Kasumi, worried.

"He'll be fine, though he will need to rest for a whole week."

"Okay then, thank you," she said before bowing. Kasumi teleports to Naruto, Sakura, and Lee as Shino is brought to the hospital.

 **"Hopefully I don't fight her,"** Sakura thought to herself. Kabuto was right, the Mugen Tenshin kunoichi was dangerous.

The next match was Kankuro vs Misumi, the latter being a ninja who could use chakra to dislocate his joints to stretch and twist his body. Kankuro easily defeated his opponent by simply switching places with a puppet that was disguised as him and crushing the Genin's bones in its hold, knocking him out.

After Kankuro was declared the winner, it was a match between Sakura and Ino, which eventually ended with the two knocking each other out, which meant both girls wouldn't be able to advance to the finals.

After that was Tenten vs. Temari, a bad match-up for Neji's girlfriend. All the projectile weapons used by her were completely countered by the Wind Release techniques used by Temari and her Giant Fan, which she used as a conduit for her techniques.

Finally, it was Shikamaru's fight with Kin Tsuchi, one of the Sound Ninjas that attacked Sakura and Sasuke. Shikamaru was at a disadvantage since Kin had learned about his Shadow Imitation Technique from Orochimaru. However, he managed to join her shadow with his and made her hit her head on a wall, winning the match. This surprised Naruto, who immediately follows it up with a comment on how this was one of the many times he actually put in the effort to win before voicing how only one Sound Ninja was going to make Chunin this year. After being announced the winner, Shikamaru walks back to where his friend Chōji is.

"Nice job, Shikamaru!" said a smiling Choji, congratulating his friend and teammate.

"Your friend is a very good strategist," Kasumi comments.

"What he lacks in combat, he makes up for it with strategy..." Naruto responds, wondering when his next match was.

"Next match, Naruto Uzumaki vs. Kiba Inuzuka."

"Speak of the devil..." Naruto jumps down to the arena as Kiba, and his dog, jump down as well.

"I never thought I'd be fighting you...I was itching to finally fight you with all I got," Kiba told the blond, smirking. "It's about time I finally wiped that overconfident look off your face." Naruto raised a brow when he said that. "I wonder, how much skill and strength could you have possibly gained since you reached genin?"

"Who knows..." Naruto responds. This served to anger Kiba as he points at him.

"There you go! Always saying little to nothing. At least say something more than that! It's annoying as hell!" Naruto remained silent, further angering the Inuzuka boy.

"Tch, whatever! I'll just make sure Akamaru and I finish you off fast instead of dragging it out."

"Right back atcha." Again, Kiba is left infuriated as he tells Akamaru to stay back, going down on all fours **(HA! XD)** after. His pupils turn into slits as he starts to grow claws and fangs. Naruto noticed Kiba's strength increasing as the latter quickly closed the distance between them, readying a punch. Naruto immediately caught his fist before kicking him away and preparing for another attack. Kiba comes back swinging his claws as he attempts to land a hit on the blond.

 **"You're so high on yourself...It's always like that with you, Kiba,"** Naruto thought in his head as he avoids a diagonal claw strike before tripping his opponent with a kick. Kiba tries to sweep him off his feet, only for Naruto to perform three backflips to create some distance.

Turning to Akamaru, Kiba told him to attack Naruto before he throws a couple of smoke bombs at the blond. Naruto fires a blast of wind from his left palm to knock it up into the air, allowing the smoke bombs to harmlessly explode before throwing a kunai at the dog, the dull part of it grazing the area between Akamaru's spinal column and the thoracic column, instantly applying pressure on it, paralyzing his spinal cord nerves. Akamaru dropped on the floor, unable to move, shocking his owner and the spectators.

"Akamaru's can't move his back legs?" said Kurenai, wondering what Naruto did to take down the dog without injuring him.

"Other than his techniques, Naruto's mind is the most dangerous," Shino tells himself. "He knows that without Akamaru, Kiba can't utilize any collaborative moves."

"What...did you just do?"

"Nothing, I just paralyzed Akamaru. It's only temporary, though he won't be able to move by himself for a good while," Naruto informed his opponent. Kiba narrows his eyes at him as he clenched his fists and grits his teeth.

"Damn it all...How? How are you this strong!?" Naruto doesn't say anything as he lets Kiba yell at him. "I always thought I'd be giving you a tough time. I trained so hard just to have a fight with you...Yet...I never expected to have this hard of a time fighting you, in just a few short minutes! Just what the hell did you put yourself through to be this strong!? Why can't I be like you!?" Finished yelling at the blond, Kiba prepared for another attack.

 **"By looking at his posture, he'll begin his attack with a claw strike, using his left hand. First, dodge the claw strike..."** As predicted, Kiba runs at him with a claw strike, which Naruto dodged at the last second. **"Then strike him on his right side with a spinning elbow strike and follow it up with a low spinning sweep kick."** Naruto delivers a spinning elbow strike to Kiba's right trying to get him with a sweep kick, only for Kiba to jump over it.

 **"He avoided the sweep kick. Need to adapt. Discombobulate Kiba's hearing with a Pompyang move."** Naruto slaps his palms on to both of Kiba's ears, disconcerting his hearing. **"He's wide open. Next course of action, use a Cannon Spike to send him to the air and finally wrap things up with a headlock takedown."** With a Cannon Spike, Naruto sends Kiba to the air before performing a Tornado DDT on him, defeating Kiba as his head drops onto the hard floor.

 **"Injuries: A bruised right side, short hearing loss, and moderate head trauma. Head trauma isn't life-threatening, that's good. The number of days needed for recovery: 4.** **The number of days needed for recovery f** **or Akamaru: 0."** Everyone was speechless as they bore witness to a snippet of Naruto's actual skills. Kasumi said nothing, though she had a look of curiosity on her face as Naruto knelt down to Kiba, who was still conscious, but unable to move.

"To answer your questions, I can't tell you what I went through to get to where I am. All I can tell you is that I've gotten my ass kicked in more ways than I can count before I came back here...by those who trained me to get to this point. Like you, there's someone I know who I can never beat, no matter how much I trained." This served to surprise Kiba as he looked up at him.

"I get the feeling you're having. However, it shouldn't be a bad thing to experience from time to time. I still can't beat him, but I never got angry about it. I just accepted it and continued surpassing my own limits. Point is, even if you had the means to stand against me, even beat me, you wouldn't have anything to aspire to after this. Every fight would be boring for you. You still have room to get stronger..."

"...Geez, with the injuries you gave me coupled with those words of yours, I can't help but hate you and respect you at the same time," Kiba replied, smiling at him as the proctor announced Naruto as the winner before the medics came in to take the former and his dog to the hospital.

"The next match is Hinata Hyuga vs. Neji Hyuga." Looking up at Hinata, Naruto gave him a nod as she gave him a nodding smile before jumping down on the floor.

 **Hokage Office**

"Request to have a handful of Hayabusa Ninja come as added security?" Hiruzen approved of it, after hearing about his former pupil Orochimaru going after Sasuke and branding him with the cursed mark.

"We may need the Hayabusa Clan now more than ever...Will we need to include ninjas from the Mugen Tenshin Clan?" he asked Ryu, who responds with a yes. "Very well, I'll need you to give Ayane a message to send to Shiden and Genra," he finished, giving the Hayabusa ninja two scrolls.

"Thank you." As Ryu turned to leave, Danzo enters, exchanging glances with him before exiting the room.

"It's unwise to rely on the Hayabusa and the Mugen Tenshin, Hiruzen."

"With Orochimaru appearing after so long, we need them to help us, now more than ever," Hizuzen told him.

"If we rely on those two clans, it'd make us look weak," Danzo counters. Hiruzen tells him he thinks negative of the village's ninja and that the village wasn't weak for receiving help from allied clans outside of the village.

"If we had ninja who could utilize ki, we wouldn't need to rely on those who can," Danzo adds.

"Danzo, even without ki, this village has survived many battles, thanks to the bravery and strength of our Leaf Ninjas." Danzo said nothing as he turned around and left.

 **Chunin Exams**

After Hinata's victory over her cousin Neji, Naruto had congratulated her for her win, telling her she had gotten stronger.

"Th-Thanks Naruto..."

"Hinata...congrats," said Neji, sounding proud of her as he puts an assuring hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, did I miss anything?" asked Kakashi, having just arrived. When asked where he was, he told them he went for lunch after sealing Sasuke's cursed mark.

"You missed our matches. Sakura and Ino knocked each other out, eliminating each other, and I won my two matches."

"So that means you and Sasuke will be advancing. Good for you," Kakashi told him, smiling once he finished. The next battle was Rock Lee vs. Gaara. Turning to Naruto, Lee told him he was looking forward to fighting him and Kasumi, telling them how their matches motivated him to give it his all for his match and the finals before entering the arena.

"I don't know what kind of tricks this bowl-cut kid has up his sleeve...but there's no way he'll win against Gaara," Kankuro told Naruto, Kakashi, Hinata, Neji, Sakura, and Kasumi as he walked towards them.

"I don't know, Lee did give Sasuke a bit of a problem," Naruto informed the Suna-nin as the match started.

Gaara pulls out the cork for the gourd on his back as Hayate begins the match. Lee attacks with a Leaf Whirlwind. The attack is blocked by a large amount of sand coming out of the gourd, which is controlled by Gaara. More sand comes out of it and attacks Lee, sending him flying backward. The bushy-browed ninja gets back up as he runs at Gaara, who effortlessly blocks his blows with his sand.

 **"Without moving a muscle...Damn!"** Lee thought to himself as he continued trying to find an opening to land a hit on the Suna-nin.

"Fast as he is, Lee is getting nowhere," said Sakura.

"Physical attacks are worthless against Gaara," Kankuro informed them. "The sand forms a shield to protect his body, independent of Gaara's will. That's why, to this day, there's not one person...who has ever wounded him." Naruto said nothing as he watched the match, wondering how Lee can overcome his opponent.

"Why is Lee using only Taijutsu!? Taijutsu's ineffective and painful against that sand. He needs to start using Ninjutsu," said Sakura.

"It's not that Lee won't use Ninjutsu..." Turning to their right, they see Might Guy approaching them. "It's that he can't."

"What!?" Sakura yelled. Guy explains how Lee had practically no Ninjutsu or Genjutsu abilities.

"When I first met Lee, he had absolutely no sense and no talent or ability whatsoever. That's why the only moves he's been able to develop are Taijutsu. There are many ninjas who can use neither Ninjutsu nor Genjutsu. But I have faith that he'll win." Lee is backed against the wall, surrounded by sand.

"Lee! Take them off!" Guy yelled, Lee, looking up to his sensei, asking him if he was sure. "It's all right! I'll allow it!" Smiling, Lee jumped up onto the Buddha statue that was connected to the arena as he pulls out multiple weights out of his leg warmers.

"Now I can move freely!" Lee happily yelled. As soon as the weights fall down on the floor, they form 2 large craters.

"Those are some heavy weights," Kakashi said to himself as Lee starts running at Gaara, much faster than before as Gaara starts struggling with blocking all of Bushy Brow's attacks. Finally, Lee jumps into the air and scratches Gaara's right cheek with a downward heel kick, surprising everyone.

"He just wounded Gaara..." Kankuro said to himself as Temari started processing this.

"Wow, this Lee kid knows his stuff," said Kasumi, with Naruto agreeing with her with a nod.

"Had he shown me this before the first exam, I'm sure he'd get me to fight serious." This surprised everyone as Naruto said this out loud. Back to the fight, Lee starts beating on Gaara as the latter's Sand fails to protect him. Suddenly, Gaara's face starts to crack, revealing that the scratch on his cheek was fake. Looking up at his opponent, Gaara shows an insane smile on his face as he encased himself with sand.

"What's he doing?" asked Sakura, looking worried for Lee.

"Sand Armor, with it...he can encase himself in a thin shell of sand in order to cover and protect his body, controlling it by the force of his will," Kankuro explains, calling it Gaara's ultimate defense."

"Is that all you've got?" Gaara asked Lee, looking uninterested.

 **"I'll have to keep pounding and punishing that outer layer of sand. I'll have to use...The Front Lotus."** Lee prepares to unwrap some of the large bandages around his arms as he appears in front of Gaara and kicks him into the air before using Shadow of the Dancing Leaf on him. Once behind his opponent, he restrains him with the loose bandages as he prepares to piledrive himself and Gaara into the ground head first while rotating at a ferocious speed.

"Front Lotus!" The impact creates a crater larger than the ones the weights created. As the dust settles, Gaara is found lying unconscious in the crater as Lee finds himself extremely fatigued from the attack he performed.

"I...I think Lee won," Sakura said to the others, Kasumi telling her, "Don't be so sure..." At that moment, Gaara's face suddenly cracks open, revealing that Lee just used the Front Lotus on an empty shell of sand.

"What!?" Guy yelled. "There's no way he could..."

"Did you notice anything Naruto?" asked Kakashi, Naruto simply nodding. "So I'm not the only one..."

"What did you see?" asked Guy.

"During the use of the Front Lotus, he paused in pain for just a few seconds," Naruto told Guy, "And that's when..." Out of nowhere, Gaara appears behind Lee, his maniacal face returning as he sends Lee crashing into a wall with his sand before smashing Lee multiple times with his sand before the bushy-browed ninja jumps out of the way in order to avoid the last attack.

"For you, it ends here..." Gaara told Lee as he gets up and says, "One way or another...the next move will be the last..." Hearing this, Kakashi's eyes widened as he turns his attention towards Guy.

"His eyes...don't tell me...you taught him how to open the 8 Inner Gates!?"

"...I did."

"You taught him something horribly dangerous. And by the look on his face, it looks like he's gonna use the Reverse Lotus. That move tops the list of moves that you shouldn't teach. Tell me Guy...which of the 8 Inner Gates has he gotten up to so far?" After a few seconds of silence, Guy told him Lee can go up to the Fifth Gate.

"What're these 8 Inner Gates?" Sakura asked her sensei. Kasumi decides to explain it to her.

"The gates act as limiters that must be released in preparation for performing the Reverse Lotus. At eight specific points along our Chakra Pathway System - the network of energy lines through which chakra flows...there are places where the chakra nodes converge: The Gates of Opening, Rest, Life, Pain, Closing, Joy, Shock, and Death. Those are the 8 Inner Gates. They constantly maintain limits on the amount of chakra flowing through our bodies...limits that The Lotus uses chakra to forcibly override, enabling the user to draw upon strength that is dozens of times our usual level, even if the user's body is destroyed in the process. The Front Lotus that Lee used earlier opens the Gate of Opening. Opening the first Gate frees the user from his or her own mental inhibitions. The opening of the Gate of Rest boosts his strength. And with the opening of the Gate of Life, he can use the Reverse Lotus."

"What happens when all the gates are opened?" Sakura asked, growing even more worried about Lee's safety.

"When all the gates have been opened, they enter a state called the 8 Inner Gates Formation. Anyone who achieves that state will, however briefly, be granted strength that surpasses even the Hokage's. But in exchange...that person will inevitably die," Naruto adds, narrowing his eyes.

"Wait, are you serious Naruto!?" Naruto confirms it by telling her, "He's taking a big risk here..."

Down at the arena, Lee begins opening the Gate of Life, his skin turning red as he opens the Gates of Pain and Closing, his chakra increasing, surprising Gaara. In an instant, Lee kicks Gaara into the air and continues to strike him at inhuman speeds before hitting him with a final, powerful open-handed strike and kick at the same time, sending Gaara crashing into the ground below. The ground is left devastated due to the force of the attack, Lee dropping down to the ground hard.

"Did...Did he defeat him?" asked Sakura, Looking down, everyone noticed that the gourd on Gaara's back was turned into sand, which was used to cushion the impact. Opening his eyes, Gaara begins controlling his sand to cover Lee's left arm and leg before yelling, "Sand Binding Coffin!"

Following this, the sand crushed Lee's left arm and leg as the latter screams in pain and falls unconscious. Gaara gets up and attempts to use his sand to kill Lee. Before he could, Might Guy appears behind Gaara.

"Don't even think about it..." Guy told him as Gaara looked at the Jonin and said nothing before gathering all the sand and forming it into a gourd on his back and appearing next to his sister Temari.

 **"He never stood a chance against Gaara..."** Temari thought to herself. The medical-nins prepare to take Lee to the hospital as Guy stays at his side.

"Will he be okay?" asked Sakura.

"By the look of his injuries, he has compound compressive fractures and torn muscles throughout his body. He'll get a full recovery but...the damage to his left arm and leg is severe..." Kasumi informed her and the others.

"What are you saying?" asked Neji.

"His body is so destroyed...he'll never recover enough to be a ninja again." Once Kasumi said that their eyes widened as they turned to look at Gaara, who was looking directly at them.

"To do that to Lee...Do we stand a chance against him?" asked a worried Shikamaru.

"We can't worry about it now..." said Naruto, confusing them. "We have to keep going. There's no time for doubts and fears now..." Looking at Naruto, Kasumi noticed he was clenching his fists as he glared at Gaara. Right after Chōji's match, having been defeated by Dosu of the three Sound Ninjas, it was time to move onto the next round. The ones left remaining were Naruto, Hinata, Kasumi, Sasuke, Temari, Shikamaru, Gaara, Kankurō, and Dosu.

"Now that the elimination round's over, I have a box with slips of paper in it. Take one," Gekko told them. In order of numbers, it was: **Naruto (1), Hinata (2), Gaara (3), Sasuke (4), Kankuro (5), Kasumi (6), Temari (7), Dosu (8), and Shikamaru (9)**.

"Alright, the match-ups for the upcoming Chūnin Exams Tournament will be Naruto Uzumaki vs. Hinata Hyūga, Gaara vs. Sasuke Uchiha, Kankurō vs. Kasumi, and Temari vs. either Dosu or Shikamaru. Looking at Naruto, Hinata thought to herself, **"I finally get to fight Naruto..."**

 **"Why do I have to have two fights?"** Shikamaru wondered. Kankuro found himself unlucky since he was supposed to fight the Mugen Tenshin kunoichi.

"Any questions?" asked Gekko.

"Just one," said Shikamaru. Does only one person get to be a Chūnin?"

"No, that's not the case. For the finals, you'll be observed by many judges, not only by the Third Hokage but the Fourth Kazekage and the rulers and Shinobi Leaders of countries that will be requesting missions as well. Based on your performance in the tournament, those judges will assign you an absolute value. And all those who are deemed to have sufficient abilities to be a Chūnin. Even those who may have lost in the first round can become Chūnin," Gekko explains.

"Do you mean that it's possible that all of us here could become Chūnin?" Temari asked.

"Yes, however...it is also possible that none of you will become Chūnin. You're all dismissed. See you all in a month, train hard and be prepared."

Turning to Hinata, Naruto told her he looked forward to their fight, and to train hard. Putting an assuring hand on her shoulder, he told her, "Don't think about what happened with Gaara and Lee. Who knows, maybe you won't have to fight him."

"But what if he fights you? I'm worried that-"

"Don't worry about me. If I do win against you, I'll be sure to be on my guard with him, okay?"

"Y-Yeah..." As the genin leave one by one to prepare for the next part of the exams, Kasumi deciding to go back to her village to train, Naruto wondered where Ryu was. He survived the preliminaries, but where was the Dragon Ninja? After a few seconds, Ryu appeared in front of him.

"You passed the preliminaries..." Naruto simply nods. "As promised, I will personally train you for a whole month, but not here in Konoha. I'll be taking you to the Hayabusa Village for your training." Naruto's eyes widened when he told the blond he was bringing him to his village.

"You're taking me to your village?"

"I figure it'd help to train at a place with fewer distractions," he told the blond. " I'll let you go home to pack. Meet me at the Village Gate after you've finished. First, it's about time you removed those weights."

"Oh, I almost forgot about these..."

 **Mugen Tenshin Village**

Having arrived home 20 minutes ago, Kasumi found Ayane training by herself as usual, near the river they used to play at when they were kids. Smiling, she says hello to her sister, getting her attention.

"I passed the preliminaries," she told her.

"Not really something worth telling me, considering your skills, added with the fact that you're already a Jonin," Kasumi tells her it couldn't be helped, given that she WAS undercover on an important mission to find a spy working for Orochimaru within the Genin ranks.

"So...did you find the spy?"

"Unfortunately, no...Who knows, maybe he's left already. He might've also perished in the Forest of Death since Orochimaru was in the exams to personally go after that Uchiha boy."

"Maybe...How's Naruto? Did he pass?" Kasumi tells Ayane he passed without any trouble at all. "I see...Good for him..."

"...He should be arriving at the Hayabusa Village soon..."

"...You're not here to just talk, are you?" Ayane asked Kasumi, the latter asking her to help her train for the whole month. Ayane stops her own training and looks at her sister. "Why not ask Hayate or your father?"

"I want...I want you to help me," Ayane says nothing for a bit, unsure of what to say. Finally, she said, "To ask me for help...And I thought the princess of the Mugen Tenshin Clan was strong and perfect, I guess not...You better keep up with me, I won't explain things twice." Kasumi smiled at Ayane when she offered to help her, hugging her sister as she thanked her. The Hajinmon kunoichi turned red from her sister showing her affection, telling Kasumi to let go of her after.

 **Hayabusa Clan Village**

After packing, Naruto met up with Ryu at the Village Gate, who immediately teleported himself and the blond to the Hayabusa Village. Viewing it for the first time, Naruto's eyes widened.

"Oh wow..."

"You're one of the rare ninjas from Konoha who've seen our village. For now, you should rest. We can start ki training tomorrow. I'll go let my father know that we have a guest staying with us for the whole month. Today, make yourself familiar with our village. Think of it as your home." This caught Naruto off-guard when Ryu told him that.

"Home..."

"Oh, I forgot to mention one thing. You'll be training alongside my apprentice."

"Apprentice?" Naruto asked, raising a brow.

"I made a promise to train her once she was 15..." Ryu told him before walking off. Surveying his surroundings, Naruto starts exploring the village, beginning with the shrine.

 **Dragon Lineage Shrine**

Entering, Naruto compliments the decorative interior of the shrine before noticing a woman having trouble carrying cleaning equipment by herself, blocking her vision before falling backward, dropping them as she lands on her butt.

"Owww..." Going over to the woman, Naruto helped her up. "Thank you very much."

"You need help?"

"Yes, please do." Naruto helps her pick up the items on the floor. As she picked them up, she asked him what village he was from.

"The Hidden Leaf..."

"A Hidden Leaf Ninja...Are you here on business?"

"Something like that. I'm here to train with Ryu...I guess I should call him Master Ryu now since I'll be here for a whole month." This response surprised the woman.

"Ryu made you his apprentice?" The woman smiled as she finished picking up the last of the cleaning items. "It's very rare to have an apprentice outside of the Hayabusa Clan. Hmmm...I see. So you possess the ability to use ki energy." Naruto's eyes widened as he turned to face the woman.

"How did-"

"I can sense it in you...I must say...Your ki is a very beautiful golden orange. However, it hasn't been cultivated enough, which will exhaust you very quickly if you use strong techniques without practice and perfet mastery over your ki."

"I uh...learned that the hard way..." Naruto told her.

"You're in luck. Ryu is a good teacher, so you don't have to worry about it after your month of training ends..."

"That's good to hear...I'm Naruto Uzumaki." The woman smiled at him as she introduced herself as Kureha before asking him if he could help her clean up the shrine. "I don't mind."

 **45 minutes later**

 **Evening**

Naruto and Kureha sighed a breath of relief after they finished cleaning the floor and the statues.

"Thank you very much, Naruto. Usually, it takes two hours for me to finish." When asked if she gets help with cleaning up the shrine, she tells him how she gave the others a day off. "Now that we've finished cleaning, let's pray in front of the Dragon Statue for a bit."

"Pray?" Kureha tells him that it would bring him good luck and protection.

"If you say so..." Naruto was surprised when Kureha puts his hands in hers before telling him to close his eyes and recite the prayers of the Hayabusa Clan. When asked if it was okay for someone like him, who was a ninja not part of their clan, to pray to the shrine, Kureha said it should be fine, a warm smile on her face that caught Naruto off guard. "Now, let us close our eyes and pray, please. After 2 long minutes of praying, Kureha told the blond he could open his eyes.

"Are you familiar with the village yet?" Naruto tells the shrine maiden he just arrived and that he only visited the shrine. "Hmmm...Alright! Allow me to show you around the village!"

 **[FATE/STAY NIGHT [HEAVEN'S FEEL] I. PRESAGE FLOWER OST - calm days, passing by]**

"The Chunin Exams are next month?" Kureha asked Naruto as she gave him a tour of the Hayabusa Clan Village.

"Yeah, a friend and I made a promise to fight each other with everything we've got when we were little."

"Do you think he's gotten stronger since that promise?"

"She..." Kureha was visibly surprised when Naruto told her the promise he made was with a girl. "And she has gotten stronger. Who knows how strong she'll be once the final part of the exams begins."

"So it's that way huh..." Kureha said with a smile. When asked what she was talking about, she told him it was nothing. As they walked along the path, Naruto looked down as he felt a ball roll to his feet. Stopping, he picked it up before looking up to see a few kids looking at him with wonder. One of them, a boy, asked if he could roll it back to them. Rolling it back to them, The boy picked it up before thanking him with a smile, running off with his friends after.

"Are your parents okay with you being away from the village or-"

"No parents. Orphaned as a baby..."

"Oh...I'm sorry..." Naruto tells her it was fine since he was used to it. "It's not fine. To grow up without a mother and father is never fine. How've you been able to last this long without a parent's love?"

"Dumb luck, along with some rare friends and chance encounters, I guess..." After he answered her question, Kureha noticed Ryu approaching them.

"Welcome back, Ryu." Ryu says hello to Kureha before turning to Naruto and telling him how his father approved of the blond genin staying with them for a whole month. "My father and I are arranging a room for you to-"

"Ryu, how about you have Naruto stay with me?" This surprised the genin as he turned to the shrine maiden. "Momiji and I have a lot of room at our place so why not have him do that?"

"Hmm, I see no problem with that. That is...if Naruto's okay with it." Looking at Naruto, Ryu wondered what his answer would be.

"...It'd be rude not to accept her offer." Kureha smiled as Naruto looked at her, wondering what was going on in her head.

 **[Music End]**

"Have you finished touring the village with Kureha?" Naruto tells Ryu they had just finished. "Good...Kureha, I'll take him off your hands a bit. My father wishes to meet him."

"Your father?" Naruto asked.

"Yes...Jo Hayabusa, the head of the Hayabusa Clan."

 **Hayabusa Forest**

Finished with his sword training, Jo noticed the presence of his son Ryu, and Naruto as he turns around and locks eyes with them.

"This is the Konoha genin you told me about earlier?" Ryu simply nods. Turning to Naruto, he tells him to approach him. Walking forward, he stops in front of the Hayabusa leader. Leaning forward, he observes the blond and his energy.

"Hmmm...So you're the Hidden Leaf Village's Jinchuuriki."

"Jinchuuriki?"

"It's what people call those who contain demons within themselves." Turning to Ryu, he tells him to leave them alone. His son nods before teleporting away. "...I'm aware of the animosity your village has towards you." Naruto's eyes widened when the Hayabusa head said that. "I must apologize to you."

"For what?"

"You see...The Hayabusa and the Mugen Tenshin were there when the Nine-Tailed Fox attacked Konoha. It was because of the Fourth Hokage, an old friend of ours, that relations between our clans and Konoha improved after the Second..."

"What did the Second Hokage do?"

"...It's something so forbidden, that we almost cut relations with the Hidden Leaf...until his death. Back to the previous subject, regarding you, when you were born, and the demon was sealed within you, under the Fourth's request, we were to take you in, but we faced animosity from the elders of the village, who were against this. Because they were in power for a while, they prevented us from fulfilling that request."

"You mean..."

"If we were allowed to that day, you could've been raised here." Bowing his head down to him, Jo apologized to Naruto for having him go through what he did all those years because they weren't able to fulfill their request.

"...Lift your head up," said Naruto, a small smile on his face. Jo looks up at the blond genin as he tells him, "It's not your fault and...I don't blame you. I'm...glad you told me this. I admit I had it rough while I was growing up, but it wasn't all that bad. I got to meet a few good people in the village, got to see the world outside the village, and I met more good people along the way. And hey, you're fulfilling that request now, even if it's just for a month."

"Thank you for understanding," Jo told him before getting up. "Let's head back. It's almost dinner time."

"Right..."

 **Dinner**

 **Castle of the Dragon**

"So, you're going to be training alongside me?" asked Momiji **(15-years old)** as they ate dinner with the rest of the clan, which included the leaders and the villagers. In Hayabusa tradition, it was important to welcome guests whom the leader has taken an interest in, which extends to friends Jo has made from other villages, even people outside of the ninja nations, and Naruto was one of them.

"That's right..." he answered.

 **"And I thought I could finally get more alone time with Ryu..."** Momiji thought to herself. "Well, I look forward to learning with you, Naruto."

"Same here, Momiji." Taking a huge bite from the salmon onigiri in his right hand, he comments on how delicious it was compared to the ones he made at home as a smile appears on his face. "Who made this? I must get the recipe..."

"Kureha made it. She's a very good cook," Ryu informed Naruto before continuing with his meal, Kureha asking the blond if he cooks.

"Yeah, I know how to cook." The shrine maiden offers to show him tomorrow before his and Momiji's training with Ryu. "Really!? Thank you!" Kureha looked surprised when she saw him happy. Realizing this, Naruto turned red and focused on eating.

"You should act like that more...it suits you," she told him with a smile. Focusing on the food in front of him, he told her he'd try to work on it.

 **Kureha's House**

"I find it hard to believe she'd be friends with anyone," said Momiji as Naruto told her, "Same here, but I'm glad that wasn't the case. She's pretty good to have around the house whenever she comes to the village."

"She visits your place?" Momiji asked, not believing the blond. _"Could it be she..."_

"Oh good, you two are getting along," said a smiling Kureha as she entered the room and got ready for bed.

"Yeah...Thanks for letting me stay here."

"No problem, think of our home, and the Hayabusa Clan Village as a whole, as yours." Naruto got caught off-guard once more as she mentioned home. When asked if something was wrong, he told her everything was fine. "Are you sure?"

"Yes..." Unconvinced, Kureha gets up close to him and looks him straight in his eyes, making him nervous, beads of sweat going down his forehead.

"Oh dear, there's that Kureha stare..." said Momiji, sweating as she said it.

"Your eyes squint a bit when you lie. Tell me what troubles you Naruto." Once Kureha gave him a little space, Naruto wiped the sweat off his face before giving Kureha a response.

"I'm just not used to the word home is all..." This served to confuse Kureha and Momiji. "I have a place of my own at the Leaf, yet I have no one waiting for me. What's a home when you have no one to come home to? Sure a few people come to visit, but once they leave it's...lonely...And when you decided to house me, I...liked the idea of living with you."

"That explains why you were acting like that earlier..." Kureha replied, smiling after.

"Other than coming back to a house with no one waiting for me, I live in a village where 99% of the villagers hate me. This village, it's far more welcoming despite what people see on the outside. I was looking for signs that the people here didn't want me around, but I saw none...I..." Kureha doesn't let him finish as she pulls him into a hug.

"It's truly frustrating for you...Ryu told me everything...I just wanted to hear it from you as well...To understand you better."

"I know I can change them, but... What if I can't change them? What if...What if the moment the Hokage dies, everyone in the village takes that moment to hate me for it? Like I didn't do enough? Was it wrong for me to return there, hoping to accomplish a goal that may never come true?" Hearing what Naruto had to add, Kureha gently boops him on the nose.

"You can, and you will. I know it because you're afraid, unsure of whether you'll succeed or fail. That fear you have shall be your reason to not give up and try harder. It's okay to feel the way you are now, but don't let it overcome you. If there's still a part of you who believes you can change the Leaf Village, keep holding on to it, and never let go. Also...Starting tomorrow, I'll be the one you can come home too, even if it's just more this month." Hearing Kureha tell him that soothed his soul as she told him to get some rest.

"I...I look forward to that...and thanks..." Turning red, he asked Kureha if she could let him go.

"No...You need this hug Naruto..."

"If you say so, then..." To Naruto's embarrassment, the shrine maiden told him he was warm. "Th-...Thanks..." A few minutes later, Naruto found himself still in Kureha's hug, the shrine maiden, and her sister, now fast asleep.

 **"She fell asleep!?"**

 **TO BE CONTINUED...**

* * *

 **Next chapter will cover some bits of Naruto's training, it may be quick since I got the idea to not drag it on from watching episode 3 of My Hero Academia Season 1.**

 **The fights in here, some, honestly, were rushed/skipped because we've seen most of them, some of them being short in both manga and anime. The fights like Naruto vs Kiba and Lee vs Gaara were central. Naruto's fight with Kiba was to let others know that, yes he's strong, but not the strongest, and that if people were to surpass the strongest, who else was there to surpass once that was accomplished?**

 **Like the anime/manga, the fight with Gaara was to show how big of a danger he was and that Naruto, Sasuke, and Kasumi weren't the only challengers to fear.**

 **For the poll, I am surprised to see a lot of yes. That honestly eased my conscience a bit. It may take a while until Naruto and Ayane actually get together, but as the story goes on and moves on in different ones, we'll see the two interact a bit more, and more. There's a lot of obstacles, doubts and hurt, but in the end, Ayane will be rewarded for it.**

 **Kureha will also be one of the many people who shape Naruto to who he is. The relationship with her and the blond Genin is one that will eventually end, and it...it's something.**

 **Momiji has her own thing going on as well which I am looking forward to diving into since, like Ayane, she has her own love problems involving Ryu.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Alternating between FIREBRAND and this is pretty tiring. I decided to focus on this since I wanted to take a small break from FIREBRAND. In this, I figured skipping training would help quicken the plot, since nobody likes much filler. Yes, it helps grow the character's development, but most of it is filler. Plus, Jiraiya wasn't available.**

 **I will say this, Naruto has learned a new skill which may help, though he's not willing to reveal what it is. I also want to add that this will be a chapter with no fighting, with the exception of the beginning, the sole focus being Naruto letting go and having fun for a change and growing in some shape and/or form, Kureha being the one person who can change him. Like I said, their relationship is of importance to the blond Genin.**

 **Ayane, as you know from reading "Vulnerable Butterfly" is the love interest, but it takes a few years to build it up, as well as create some ups and downs that affect their relationship. This is one of the memories that was put into "Vulnerable Butterfly."**

* * *

Naruto and Momiji's ninpo training was hell. On the first day, they were to climb up to the top of a mountain by the end of it while carrying large weights on their hands, without relying on anything but their own strength. After that, the two were sent to a cold environment, where they had to keep a fire that was warming their bodies alive, using their ki to feed it, without letting the fire go out of control.

On Days 3 to 6, Ryu had the two fight him at the same time, wanting to improve their combat by allowing their muscles to think for them. The combat also helped to strengthen their ki energy. Naruto started off very slow, with Momiji being the only one capable of standing up against Ryu. Since Naruto was someone who plans and anticipates what his opponent will do, his training was suspended until he learned to fight while letting his body think like him and react to attacks like him.

On the second day of his suspension, Ayane had come over and helped him out. Like Ryu, Ayane didn't hold back, changing her movements and the direction her strikes were going at the last second whenever Naruto anticipated her movements. While Ryu was calm, Ayane didn't have the Hayabusa Ninja's patience, wanting Naruto to improve as soon as possible. After 2 days of getting his ass kicked, the blond developed a technique that compensated for this weakness, which was enough for him to overcome this handicap and best the kunoichi in combat. Ryu, having watched their fight, congratulated him before resuming his training the next day.

 **[Music End]**

 **2 weeks later**

 **Night**

Naruto and Momiji ran at Ryu at the same time as they threw several punches and kicks at the Hayabusa Ninja. Underneath his mask, Ryu smiled as he effortlessly blocked, parried, and avoided their blows before kicking Momiji back and catching Naruto's fist, punching him in the throat, and roundhouse kicking him in the face. Utilizing her ki, Momiji uses the ninpo, Autumn Flame, to fire a fireball at Ryu as Naruto utilized his ki to make it stronger, using a wind ninpo.

 **"Very well done...But..."** Ryu blocks it by creating a wall of water, surrounding the area with steam in the process. Naruto and Momiji quickly clear the area by blowing it away with a focused burst of ki. Back to back, the two deflect a few shurikens hurled at them, anticipating what the ninja plans to do next.

Noticing Ryu's shadow, Naruto and Momiji roll out of the way as Ryu strikes the ground with his left fist. In a two-pronged attack, Naruto goes for a right punch while Momiji goes for a kick. Quickly, Naruto changed his punch into a hold, surprising the Hayabusa ninja as the blond holds his right arm, keeping him in place as Momiji strikes the back of his left leg, bringing him to his knees. With another smile, Ryu turned into smoke, revealed to be a clone.

"Momiji, Naruto, you've both done an above excellent job keeping up with your ki training. Naruto, you may have had some hiccups that hindered your progress, but I'm glad you were able to overcome them," Ryu told him. "Remember, while it's not a bad thing to anticipate your opponent's movements, that takes a second or two for your brain to get the signal, allowing your opponent a single moment to respond. It's important to let your body learn to move, to react to your opponent's attacks and defend, not just to condition. That's all I'll say. Starting tomorrow, you'll have 4 days of rest. You both earned it from working hard. After the break, we'll get started on advanced-level Ninpo. If you manage to learn them, I may be able to teach you the master-level ones." Before Ryu could turn to leave, Momiji stops him. When he asked what she needed, a now-shy Momiji asked if he was available for the upcoming Ninja Festival **(2 days)**.

"I am on guard duty, but I plan to take time off after."

"What's this Ninja Festival?" Momiji looks at Naruto, surprised that he didn't know about it. Ryu tells him it was a two-day festival where all of the powerful ninjas gather in one place and celebrate. "While the Hidden Villages have their own festivals, the main one is held at the Chuuma Village."

"Is that why we're taking a break? So you can help set up the festival?" Ryu nods yes once more before telling him it was a very important festival for every ninja village.

"Your village celebrates it too, how do you not know about it?" asked Momiji. Naruto tells her he didn't really care about the village festivities because he usually focused on himself and that he never pays attention to the celebrations held within the Hidden Leaf.

"You said the Hidden Villages have their own festivals, and that the main one is held at the Chuuma Village. Why do the Hidden Villages have their own separate festivals?"

"It's mainly due to pride, jealousy, and animosity towards the villages they feel are inferior or superior to them." Naruto formed a frown on his face when he heard that. Typical Hidden Village thinking. "Only those villages who consider each other allies and equals can attend the one in Chuuma Village. You should come to celebrate it."

"You sure? I'm not a fan of large crowds, not to mention that I'm from a village-"

"Don't worry about it. It'll be fine," Ryu assured Naruto. "I think you'll like it."

 **Kureha's House**

"I'm home..." said Naruto, opening the door in front of him. Kureha walked out from the kitchen and, with a smile, welcomed him back as he and the shrine maiden entered the kitchen, ready for dinner.

Smelling the contents of the pot that was boiling over the fire, Naruto asked Kureha what she made. "If I remember correctly, you told me you liked ramen. I decided to try my hand on it and this is it," said Kureha, preparing a bowl for herself and the blond. Taking a slurp from the noodles, Naruto's eyes lit up as he noticed how the noodles were made using potatoes and how the beef bone broth was light but refreshing, noticing a tint of spice in it.

"I could say that this ramen tastes better than the one at Ramen Ichiraku."

"That's good to hear. I was scared that it'd turn out bad," said Kureha, Naruto telling her she was a great cook, and that even if it turned out bad, he'd still eat it. When asked how his and Momiji's training was going, Naruto told her he was learning very important lessons that helped him master his ki control, adding the part where Momiji had a better understanding of them than him.

"It's to be expected, seeing as how you were born in the Hidden Leaf. That means that, between you and her, you work the hardest."

"Thanks for noticing...So far, we managed to beat Master Ryu's clone."

"That's good. Do you think you could beat the real one?"

"No, I don't see myself ever beating him... Kureha, what do you do during the Ninja Festival?" The shine maiden tells Naruto she handles temple duties during the festival but has time after to have fun during the remaining two hours of the first day, with the second day giving her more freedom before ending the festival with a yosakoi dance.

"Were you going to ask me to come with?" Naruto simply nods before telling her it was going to be the first one he was going to attend. With a smile, the shrine maiden gently ruffled the blond's hair. "I can make time for you after my shrine duties are done, and I can ask to take time off for the second day of the festival."

"...The two weeks I've been staying with you...You've been very kind to me... Why? What's was your reason other than to be nice and to be someone I can come home to?" asked Naruto.

"If I had to say...it's because I wanted to help you open your heart more..." Naruto's eyes widened when she said that. "You're someone whose heart is a bit closed off to others. From what you told me, you were a little boy who cried a lot, who meant no harm to others...I know it must've been hard for you from the beginning before you were forced to grow up. To close your heart. While it's been opened up, it's only a small crack. I want to be the one to help you to fully open it, to be the best version of yourself...I care for you, Naruto."

"Just now...What did you just say?" asked Naruto, an expression on his face telling the shrine maiden he was caught off-guard by her reason.

"I care for you...Naruto." When asked why he wanted to know, Naruto told her it was nothing as he focused on his ramen. Kureha only smiled at him, knowing the answer as she resumed eating her ramen. Arriving home late, Momiji opens the sliding door leading to the bedroom. Seeing Naruto fast asleep with Kureha brought a smile to Momiji's face. From the looks of it, Kureha was holding him like a little kid.

 **The next day**

 **Morning**

 **With Kakashi**

As the sun rises, the Copy Ninja slightly struggles as he climbs a high cliff with one arm restrained. As he neared the top, Kakashi lost his footing, finding himself holding on to a small piece of land with his right hand. With two fingers still holding on, he has no choice but to use the First Gate to temporarily increase his strength, allowing him to lift himself back up and reach the top of the cliff. Noticing a pair of feet standing over him, he looks up to see Sasuke looking down at him.

"So you finally made it here..."

"Yeah..."

 **Dragon Lineage Shrine**

 **Morning**

 **With Naruto**

"You don't have to help me clean the shrine during your time off Naruto. I can handle the cleaning-"

"I don't mind. With the two of us, it'll be done quicker." Kureha only smiled when Naruto said that. _"Besides, I feel at ease when I'm helping you..."_

"Hmm? You say something?" asked Kureha, Naruto telling her no. "...Naruto, do you have anybody to go to the Ninja Festival with? Perhaps a girl?"

"Maybe..."

"Maybe mostly means you do. Who is it?" Kureha tries to pressure Naruto into telling her, but he ignored her as he focused on cleaning. "...You're as stubborn as Ryu's father...Well, if you're having trouble asking her, how about I ask one of my friends from the Ameno clan to hang out with you?" Naruto tells the Hayabusa shrine maiden he was fine.

"And why do need to go with a girl?" Kureha tells Naruto how going with a girl made going to the festival all the more special.

"As a boy your age, you should have someone you-" Before she can finish, Ayane arrives, saying hello to Kureha before turning to Naruto.

"When did you become Kureha's chore boy?"

"Very funny Ayane," Naruto responds. When asked how his training was going, he told her, "I'm doing good, thanks for-" Without warning, Ayane throws a ki-enhanced punch at Naruto, who catches it in his left hand, infusing it with his ki to counteract Ayane's. "thanks for asking."

"Looks like your ki control has been perfected under Master Ryu's care..."

"Who knows, I may be more than your equal soon," said Naruto, earning a blush from Ayane, the Hajinmon kunoichi's expression catching Kureha's attention.

"Don't get cocky just because you learned a few new tricks..." she told the blond before turning around to hide her blushing face. "Training aside...do you know of the Ninja Festival?" Naruto tells her Ryu informed him about it yesterday. "What do you plan on doing?" Naruto tells Ayane he wasn't sure since he never celebrated it before. "So you're a novice to it..."

"Yeah...Though one thing's for sure: I plan on meeting Kureha later when she's done with her duties. But...If it's no trouble, do you think you can accompany me around the festival until Kureha's done with her duties?" Ayane and Kureha had surprised looks on their faces when Naruto, in his own way, asked the former out, the purple-haired kunoichi turning her back to him as she gave him her answer.

"O-Of course! I'm sure an idiot like you would be lost in thought when it comes to celebrating these kinds of events!" said the madly blushing Ayane, trying her best to act proud about it. When Naruto thanks her, she looked away, telling him, "Let's meet at the entrance on the night of it. Don't make me wait."

"I'll be sure to be early for you," said Naruto, with the shy kunoichi telling him he had better as she prepared to leave. "By the way...during the festival...I would like it if you..."

"Hmm?"

"...Forget it." Naruto wonders what Ayane was about to say before she walked away. Turning to Kureha, he asked her what Ayane was about to say.

"This festival's surely going to be interesting..." Kureha tells Naruto with a smile, the latter wondering what was going on in the smiling shrine maiden's head. As she made her way out of the village, Ayane sees Kasumi smiling at her up ahead, the Tenjinmon kunoichi congratulating her sister on getting the blond to go with her.

"Although you failed to tell him you wanted Genra to meet him during the festival." Ayane tells her sister to shut up before telling her, "At least he said yes..."

"You also failed to tell him the other meaning of the festival, that it's a marriage hunting ground for male ninjas, as well as spiritual ability users. However, a parent must approve of the husband in order to-"

"I know! Let's just go back and train."

"Very well, Ayane..."

"Also...after training...let's head the Hidden Leaf." This surprised Kasumi.

"You mean-"

"Yes, I'm treating you to that new barbecue restaurant you've been going on about that opened yesterday." With a happy expression on her face, Kasumi goes behind Ayane and gently pushed her towards the direction home.

 **With Hinata**

 **Hyuga Residence**

 **Noon**

Hinata heavily pants, her hands on her knees, as she looks up at her smiling mother.

"You've been very fired up for the last two weeks, Hinata. I'm surprised you asked me to start training that day when you came back from the Forest of Death. You must really want to fight Naruto." Hinata tells her mother Naruto was no pushover, telling her the Hyuga Clan has seen what he was capable of whenever he came over to train. The final part of the Chunin Exams starts with their fight first, and she wanted to fight him at her best. "Don't you worry Hinata. Between your father and I, I am the strongest."

"You? But Father said that-"

"Nope, I am," Yoshiko interrupts, sounding proud about it. "Anyways, the Ninja Festival's coming up Hinata. Do you plan on inviting Naruto to it?" Hinata turns red when Yoshiko asked her. "That face says it all."

"Sadly, he's not in the village right now...I don't even know if he's even going to attend it, or come back here for it," Hinata told her mother, sounding sad. "He's never celebrated the festival and...I've been meaning to bring him, but seeing as how he...doesn't like the Hidden Leaf..." Thinking about how to help her daughter, Yoshiko has an idea in mind. "Hinata, I was asked by an old friend of mine to come to Chuuma Village to celebrate the festival. How about you go there with Hanabi in my place?"

"Chuuma Village?"

"It's a village run by the Ameno Clan. Knowing Naruto's views on the Hidden Villages, he may take an interest in celebrating it at a village that's more welcoming of him. It's perfect. However..."

"However?" Yoshiko tells her of the many villages that are well-affiliated with the Chuuma Village, and that the village is mostly comprised of girls. Hinata's eyes widen when she heard that, picturing Naruto being surrounded by several beautiful kunoichi who may take an interest in him. "Mother, there's no way that Naruto would have an interest in girls that eas-"

"Are you sure? Not only are kunoichis from the Ameno Clan attending, but the ones from the Hayabusa and Mugen Tenshin are going as well. Even the Sword Maidens of Hinomoto are a sight to see. Almost any of those girls will catch his eye, preferably one who has the qualities he finds himself drawn to or seeks in a potential love interest." At this point, Hinata froze. "When it involves a boy you like, you're going to have a lot of competition, Hinata. You have to strike when the iron is hot." Yoshiko told her daughter.

"...Mother, we're going shopping for a yukata later," Hinata told her mother, a competitive fire in her eyes.

 **Kureha's House**

 **Night**

For the whole day, Naruto was in Japan shopping for some fish, along with other ingredients for a dish he wanted to make, bringing Kureha along with using a seal that allowed him to appear in Jiraiya's Apartment in Tokyo and return to the Hayabusa Village. As they went around, Kureha found herself interested in owning a camera, Naruto buying a red one for her after Kureha told him how if one day either one of them was gone, a picture was a good way to remember someone and the good times they had.

Right now, Naruto had his headphones on, listening to **"Dionysus by BTS"** as he pulverized the fish guts with the heads and bones. Looking over his shoulder, a curious Kureha asked him what he was making, sounding excited.

"It's a fish ball soup I've been meaning to create. It'll take a while so please be patient till it's done," he told her. As he started boiling the water in a wok, Kureha waited silently as she views the pictures she shot with her digital camera.

After she got that camera, Kureha started snapping shots of him having a good time during their short adventure in Japan, sometimes including herself in those pictures, having the blond take her to different places in Japan, recording them through the photos she shot and the videos she recorded. Naruto didn't mind, seeing how Kureha was enjoying herself. He even smiled in a few pictures and vids.

Her favorite shot was the one she took with Naruto at Konno-Hachimangu Shrine, noting the sincere and happy smile Naruto took.

 _"This one is definitely being put into a portrait. This one too."_ The second shot she took had Kureha smiling as she hugged an embarrassed Naruto. Looking at the second picture, an idea came to mind.

 **With Hinata**

 **Konohagakure**

 **Hyuga Residence**

"A girls' night out?" asked Hinata, Tenten giving her a nod as Ino and Sakura did the same.

"With you being the only girl in Konoha who's made it farther than us and the fact that you're planning to face off against Naruto, we feel that you need a little break from training," said Tenten. "There's this barbecue place that opened not too long ago, and I am dying to try it with all my friends."

"I'm sorry, but I-"

"She'd love to go with you guys," said Yoshiko as she walks out to meet with her daughter.

"Mother!?" Going over to her daughter, she whispered to her daughter, _"Let me take care of finding a yukata for you to wear for the festival. Just focus on having fun with your friends, okay?"_

"Okay..." Knowing her mother, she had a good eye for fashion. Turning to Tenten, Hinata agrees to go with her and the others.

 **Konoha Streets**

"Oh, I can't wait to try out the food there!" said Tenten, sounding excited as she walks beside Hinata, Sakura, and Ino.

"By the way Sakura, where do you think Sasuke went?" asked Ino. Earlier, both she and the pink-haired kunoichi went to the hospital to visit him and hopefully give him some (romantic) flowers. To their disappointment, he wasn't in his hospital bed.

"I don't know. The only thing I DO know is that he's out training somewhere..." Arriving at the restaurant, the four come to a stop when they see Ayane and Kasumi arriving at the same time as them.

 **"It's her..."** Hinata and Ayane thought to themselves as their eyes meet.

"It's you!" yelled Ino as she points at the Hajinmon kunoichi.

"Am I supposed to know you?" asked Ayane, raising a brow. She turned a bit red when Ino said out loud, "You're the girl Shikamaru told me about, the one who fed Naruto ramen at Ichiraku one time!"

"You never told me about-" Ayane tells Kasumi to zip it.

"Why don't you girls eat with us?" asked Tenten, telling them they can split the bill.

"Eat with you four? Why?" asked Ayane, sounding suspicious. "We barely know any of you, so why-"

"Because you know Naruto," Hinata interrupts, surprising her friends. "We were...curious if he acts differently with others out of the village and..."

"...No th-"

"Of course we'll join you!" said a smiling Kasumi, confusing her sister.

"Kasumi, what-"

 _"Listen Ayane, we don't have many friends our age. They also seem to know Naruto, like you, so that gives us something to talk about. I'd also like to point out that they promised to split the bill."_ Kasumi whispered to her sister. Looking at Hinata, Ayane sighed before agreeing to join the four.

 **Unnamed Barbecue Restaurant**

"Smell that? The beef here must be aged well," said Tenten, drooling as she smiled to herself, Sakura and Ino wondering what to order.

"I don't know what to order. All of these look appetizing, yet...so many calories..." Looking at Kasumi and Ayane, Sakura was shocked to see the two order several large amounts of meat for themselves. "Whoa! Wait a minute! Aren't you two worried that-"

"We'll get fat?" asked Ayane. Feeling her own bust, she told them, "Most of what we eat goes here, so we don't really worry about it." Sakura's eyes widened when she noticed Ayane and Kasumi's bust sizes before looking at her own.

"I...I see..." Sakura replied, sounding defeated.

"Even so, we just train as hard as we eat," Kasumi adds. "Now then...Why don't you girls order something so we can get this started, huh?" After ordering their food, Hinata decided to get straight to the question she wanted answered.

"Do you think you can tell us about Naruto?" asked Hinata. She wanted to know what his relationship was like with Ayane, seeing as how he talked about her a lot.

"All I know about him is that he rarely smiles, and he mostly looks bored," said Kasumi. "Ayane knows more about him than me."

 **With Naruto**

"It's delicious!" said Kureha, scarfing down the spicy fishball soup Naruto made as Momiji noted how the spicy broth complemented the slight saltiness of the fish and the sweetness of the onions.

"If you wanted, you could open a restaurant instead of being a ninja." Naruto tells Kureha that, while it was tempting, cooking was a hobby. "You sure? You COULD drop being a ninja and go straight to that academy that's about cooking. What was it?"

"Totsuki Culinary Academy is what you're talking about, and I don't plan on backing down on being a ninja just yet."

"Food for thought," Momiji adds before drinking the soup in her bowl, blissfully humming to herself after finishing it and asking for seconds, handing Naruto her bowl.

"I got it," Naruto told her. After filling Momiji's bowl, Kureha gives Naruto her bowl, telling him she would like another bowl as well, with more fish balls.

 **With Ayane**

 **1 hour ago**

 **Unnamed Barbecue Restaurant**

"This is quite the position you've put me in, Kasumi," Ayane told her sister, a frown on her face.

"You make it sound like you don't want to talk about him. Do you hate Naruto?" asked Sakura.

"Don't assume things because of the mood I'm in...Unlike you four, I may know more about him than any of you, and I've seen him far less than you girls."

"What do you know about him?" asked Hinata.

"For starters, he never wears the Hidden Leaf's headband." When Ino asked what that had to do with knowing Naruto, Ayane said, "Really? You're asking that? You're all either blind or incapable of observing someone properly."

"What does that mean?" asked a now-angry Ino.

"If you must know, even the slightest of things can tell you about him. Naruto never wears the headband because he doesn't feel like he's one of you." This little piece of info surprised the four Hidden Leaf kunoichis."While he's a bit chummy-chummy with all of you, he's not completely convinced that you're his friends," Ayane adds before turning to Hinata. "The only one he seems to consider as a true friend is that boy from the Nara clan, the insect user, the "big-boned kid", and you."

"Me?" asked a surprised Hinata, pointing to herself.

"Yes...I'm surprised that he hasn't decided to become a runaway ninja from all the crap this village gives him, which I find pretty admirable. To think he makes more friends with people from outside the village than inside of it. If you knew him, you'd know that he loves to write books, he can sing, dance, and play the piano, he hates bitter melon, and that he was once in love with someone." Sakura, Ino, and Tenten's eyes widened when she said he loved someone.

"He...He never told me that," said Hinata, wide-eyed.

"Yes, however, there's one problem I have with you, Hinata Hyuga. While you're his friend, to not approach him, back when he was only six years old... when he needed someone...You let your cowardice get the best of you. You did nothing to help him at that time, and it angers me. You were just as afraid of him as the villagers back then, not being brave enough to approach him until you were certain instead of pushing through that uncertainty." Hearing this, Hinata looked down in shame. She was right, if she wasn't so timid back then when they were younger, she could've done more. She even admits to being scared of the blond back then, because the villagers told the kids to never approach him.

"And to add insult to injury, I recall him telling me how Sakura said he would never get girls to like him. " Turning to Sakura, Ayane continued to speak her mind. "Who the hell do you think you are, telling someone that? Did you know that Naruto has had a few girls confess to him while he was out of the village? One of them **(Haru Okumura)** even kissed him on the cheek."

"He's gotten that far?" Ino asked.

"Of course he has, but he doesn't tell you because you wouldn't believe him either way," Ayane told Ino before turning her attention back towards Sakura. "Sakura Haruno, you're the worst. You're his teammate, but what have you ever done for him or for the team as a whole? You are nothing but dead weight. If I were still a Genin, I'd always have his back and the others'. To be sitting at the same table as you looks like the start of a bad joke." Hearing what Ayane had to say saddened Sakura as she looks down at her empty plate.

"Hey, that's too far-" Ino stops when Ayane turns to her. "And you, you also did nothing to be friends with Naruto when you were young. It was only through Hinata that you decided to go celebrate his birthday. To only go because she would be the only girl at the party? I never heard of a stupider reason for going anywhere than that. I bet if Hinata wasn't his friend then, you wouldn't have gone anyways. The only birthday you and Sakura would go celebrate would be Sasuke Uchiha's. How's getting him to notice your girlish charm going?" Ino looked down in shame as Ayane takes a second to calm herself.

"You've all seen him as the serious, calm, bored, and insulting person he is. Always listening to music, ignoring insults towards him. If you truly knew him, you'd know he has a great sense of humor, he has a very nice and genuine smile and he has a fear for ghosts...I could go on and on with what I know from what I've seen out of him...To not show this side to others...To not open up... I can understand why he would lock these things about himself away when he's inside this village. It makes me angry to know that there are people like you, in this village, who forced a 6-year old like him to grow up on his own..." The girls were silent as the servers arrived with their orders.

"You wanted to know about him, there you go."

 **2 hours later**

 **With Hinata**

After eating with the two Mugen Tenshin kunoichis, the four girls walked side-by-side as they think about the things Ayane told them. While she said it in a rude manner, the Hajinmon girl was right about them.

"He works with and talks to us, and we never once tried to understand and know him. We see only the serious and annoyed Naruto, never what's truly behind that personality of his," said Sakura.

"We always listened to what the villagers say about him, and never considered how it'd affect him," Ino adds. Hinata stayed silent as she recalled Ayane's analysis on her, and she was right. Had she approached Naruto all those years ago, back when he needed someone, and not hesitate, could she have stopped him from being the person he was today?

"Hey...we'll see you girls later, okay?" Turning to Hinata and Tenten, Sakura and Ino say bye to them, leaving the two of them alone until it was time for them to go their separate ways.

"That girl, she really chewed you three out, huh?" said Tenten. "I'm surprised she didn't say anything bad to me. I wonder-"

"Tenten...What she said...Do I even have the right to still be Naruto's friend?" asked Hinata, sounding sad. "Ayane was right about me. While I may not have done anything bad to him back then and now, I was just as scared of him like everyone else in this village, listening to whatever they said about him." Seeing Neji's cousin all wracked with guilt, Tenten cheers her up.

"Hinata...Everything she told you was all in the past, a time you can't change, no matter how much you want to. But you've made up for it by making friends with him back when the two of you started going to the academy, and by building up that friendship you have with him. If you still feel the way you are now, it's best if you get it off your chest and talk to him about it." The Hyuga girl looked nervous when Tenten suggested she tell the blond ninja.

"Tell him about it?"

"No way to get past it other than confronting Naruto. I'll even keep an eye on you to make sure it's done and maybe be emotional support if things go south," said Tenten, wanting to do whatever she could to help the girl.

"Mmm..."

 **With Ayane**

"Ayane, you could've gone a little easy on them instead of being very straightforward like that." Ayane tells her sister if she wasn't frank with what she said, the girls would never change or learn from their mistakes. "True, but-"

"You have your way of getting through to people. I have mine." Hearing her answer, Kasumi closed her eyes as she forms a smile on her face. "Come on, let's go home so we can sleep and get ready for the festival tomorrow."

"Excited are we?"

"Shut up..."

 **The next day**

 **With Naruto**

 **Hayabusa Clan Village**

 **3:00 pm**

"Festival food?" Kureha tells Naruto how one of the Main House's cooks collapsed from eating one of the members' horrible cooking, passing out from it. "She was in charge of preparing some food for the festival. It's only until 5:30 pm. I figured since you were an excellent cook, I'd ask you to help them out. The Main House promised to make it up to you."

"They don't need to pay me anything. I'm willing to do it for free," he said, Kureha smiling at him as she thanks the blond. "I guess we're heading there early."

 **Chuuma Village**

 **4:35 pm**

Listening to **"Nevermore (feat. Casey Lee Williams and Adrienne Cowan)"** , Naruto followed Kureha to the Main House Residence, getting curious looks from the villagers, along with the kunoichis on and off duty. He could hear some of the girls giggling as they comment on how cute he was with one another, noting how another handsome male had arrived to help out with the festival.

 _"This really is a kunoichi village..."_ Naruto whispered to himself, just as he and Kureha arrived at their destination. The clan's elder, Shigure Ameno, greets them as Naruto paused his music before resting his headphones around his neck and saying hello to the elder, bowing to her in respect.

"I'm glad you could come and help us," said Shigure. Let me show you to our kitchen so you can get started." The blond simply nods as he and Kureha follow her inside.

 **Ameno Clan House (Main)**

 **Kitchen**

Looking over the clean and spacious kitchen, Naruto comments on how well maintained it was.

"Will you need any help with cooking?" Naruto tells the elder he was fine preparing the food on his own. "Very well then. Kureha, let's continue with the festival preparations." Kureha waves goodbye to the blond before closing the kitchen door.

"Since it's a festival...Curry buns should be a good choice," he told himself, putting a sack of potatoes on the counter as he individually peels the skin off them by using his ki and forming it into wind blades. He then took out some marbled beef and sliced it into cubes, dicing some onions after.

"I should start on the dough..." Noticing two presences, Naruto throws a shuriken near the slightly opened kitchen door.

"Show yourselves..." Seeing the door open, Naruto was met with a girl his age, along with a girl who was a year younger than them. The first girl had green eyes and purple hair that was tied in a side-ponytail that was held by shuriken-like hair decoration. The second girl had blue eyes and hair, which was tied in twin tails held together by kunai-like hair decorations.

"Why are the two of you spying on me?" he asked.

"Sorry," said the older girl. "We sensed powerful ki and came to the kitchen to see who had it."

"Using ki to quickly decrease the amount of time it takes to prepare the ingredients...How genius!" said the younger girl.

 **"Wouldn't really call it genius. Though I guess they never thought about utilizing it to make things a little easy for cooking preparations."**

"You must be the substitute cook." Naruto simply nods, earning a smile from the older girl. "Thanks for coming to help. Oh, I forgot to introduce myself. My name's Sagiri Ameno."

"And I am her cousin, Hibari Ameno!" said the younger girl, Naruto telling her she was being loud and to keep it down a bit. "Sorry. So what's your name?"

"Naruto Uzumaki, nice to meet you both," he told them as he resumed getting the ingredients ready for cooking the curry. Looking at the ingredients, Sagiri asked him what he was making. "Curry buns."

"You need help?" asked Hibari.

"Absolutely not," he told her in a calm manner. "The two of you can watch, but you can't help." When Sagiri promised they wouldn't interfere with the cooking process, he calmly refused them again. "Besides..." The blond surprised them when Naruto produced 5 clones.

"I can produce clones pretty well." As he focused on cooking, the girls started asking several questions about himself, starting with what village he was part of. "Hidden Leaf."

"Hidden Leaf? It's rare to see ninja from that village here," said Sagiri.

"I can understand the reasons why..." As Naruto and his clones continued working, he continued to answer the two girls' questions.

 **5:36 pm**

"Finished," he told himself, satisfied with his work. Noticing the two hungrily eying the buns, he allows them to try one.

"Thank you for the food," said the two girls. Once they take a bite out of their curry buns, the exploding flavor of it envelops them. "Mmmmmm!"

"The outside of the buns is crunchy, and the curry filling has a mild but pleasant spiciness to them...These will definitely sell!" said Hibari.

"That's good to hear," he told her. Checking his phone, Naruto whispered to himself, _"I'm running late as it is..."_

"Did you say something?"

"No...Let the elder know that I'm done. I also wrote down the recipe for it just in case the clan wants to make more. I'll be heading to the festival now."

"Of course, it was nice meeting you, Naruto. Have fun at the festival," said Sagiri, the blond nodding his head before leaving, though not before grabbing a curry bun to go.

"He's very stoic, don't you think?" Hibari asked Sagiri.

"Yeah, he also has a very calm but overwhelming presence, as well as a dark and violent one. Perhaps we should go check out the Leaf Village's Chunin Exams. I'd like to see him in action." Taking another bite from their curry buns, the girls felt electricity flow through their bodies as they savored the taste.

 **Ninja Festival**

 **5:45 pm**

Arriving at the entrance, Naruto found Ayane waiting for him, his face flushing immediately when he saw her. The Hajinmon kunoichi wore a purple yukata with lilac designs, and her hair was worn in a small ponytail style. Scanning for the headband he gave her, he saw that she wore around her left wrist like a ribbon. Noticing him, Ayane formed an annoyed look on her face.

"You kept me waiting for 15 minutes. So much for being sure to be early for me."

"It couldn't be helped," he told her, scratching the back of his head with his right hand. "I had to go to the Ameno Main House to prepare some curry buns for the festival."

"You were at the clan's Main House? You probably took long because you had some beautiful girls with you while you cooked."

"Like that would get in the way of my focus," Naruto told her. "Besides, none of them interest me."

"Really?" asked Ayane, Naruto nodding yes to her before handing her a warm curry bun.

"That was what I was making before I got here." After eying it for a few seconds, Ayane took a bite out of the bun, her mood improving a bit as she enjoyed the food in her hands, a satisfied smile on her face. "Good, huh?" Realizing she made a face, Ayane looked away, embarrassed.

"It's alright...Since you brought this to me, I guess I'll let you being late slide. Just don't do it again," she told him before they entered the festival. As soon as the kunoichi finished her bun, Naruto asked her where Kasumi was, and if anyone else from her village was at the festival.

"Kasumi waited with me a bit, along with Hayate-sama, before I let them go in without me. Shiden-sama and Ayame-sama are here as well, along with my father, Genra."

"I see...Why do you put -sama at the end of your brother's name? Back at the Forest Tower, you said his name without the honorific." Ayane tells Naruto how he was her superior now after he was chosen to lead the clan in the future, meaning she had to put it at the end of his name out of respect for him and his position.

"If I had an older brother or sister, I don't think I'd put -sama at the end of my sibling's name, regardless of rank and position..." Looking at Ayane from head to toe, Naruto noticed how refined she looked. "You look very lady-like...wearing that."

"It's my first time wearing something like this. I wanted to come here in my shozoku, but Kasumi insisted I wear this. Honestly, this looks ridiculous on me." Naruto tells the kunoichi he didn't think so.

"I think it looks beautiful on you. You're a very pretty girl, Ayane." Turning red, Ayane decided to not comment on it as she pointed at a fish-catching game she wanted to try out. As the kunoichi made several attempts to get a fish, only to fail, Naruto couldn't help but find Ayane acting like an annoyed child to be cute. His focus quickly changes when he sensed someone watching him, turning around, only to see no one.

"Naruto..." Turning back to Ayane, he asked her if she was done. "Yeah."

"Naruto hey!" Turning to their left, they see Kasumi and Hayate (18-years old) approach them.

"Kasumi? And..." Looking at Hayate, Naruto, asked who he was.

"I am Hayate, Kasumi and Ayane's older brother." Naruto's eyes widened when Hayate introduced himself for the first time. "It's nice to meet you."

"Y-You too..." said a slightly tense Naruto, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

"I've been meaning to meet you during the Chunin Exam Finals, but this should be perfect." Turning to Kasumi, he told her she should go have some fun with Ayane, wanting to have some guy time with Naruto and get to know him. Smiling, Kasumi takes her sister's hand and tells her, "Let's go check out the prize booths."

"I wonder what sort of games this festival has this year..." said Ayane, following her sister as Naruto and Hayate took this time to know each other, the blond making sure to wipe the sweat off his forehead when Hayate wasn't looking.

"Is there a particular reason why you wanted to meet me?" asked Naruto. Hayate tells him he wanted to see the blond in person and confirm a few things and see what kind of person he was.

"I find it very suspicious that you, a boy she only met for over a month and counting would let her stay at your place, let alone give her a spare key to it," Hayate told the blond genin, sounding suspicious of him.

"I wasn't going to let her stay at a hotel. I figured she'd be better staying at a place belonging to someone she can trust is all..."

"Is that right?" Hayate asked him, giving him a look that seemed like he was peering into the blond's soul to make sure he was speaking the truth. With a smile, Hayate tells him how nice it was of him to trust Ayane and be her first friend outside of their village. Naruto could only let out a sigh of relief once the two kunoichi's older brother smiled.

"I would like it if you kept watching over Ayane for me whenever she comes to the Hidden Leaf and during missions. She can be a bit of a handful, even for me. It'd also help if you two continue to be friends." Naruto assures him he could handle her and that he could trust her in his hands. _"Who knows, maybe you two..."_

"Hm? You say something?" asked Naruto, Hayate telling him it was nothing.

"Step right up and try to hit all five targets at the center!" Turning to a stall, they see a male genin attempt to hit the five targets, only to hit two at the center. Seeing how the targets were placed, Naruto could tell that getting all five targets hit dead center would be impossible to achieve. However...

"I'm going to try that game stall," said Naruto, walking towards it as Hayate followed him.

 **With Ayane**

"Hey Ayane, you thinking of getting any charms from the festival?" asked Kasumi.

"Charms?"

"You know, for things like success, good health, maybe even-"

"Why would I need charms for something I can achieve on my own?" Ayane asked, finding the charms ridiculous. Don't tell me you're planning to get one." Kasumi could only a bit when Ayane said that. "...Of course, you'd be interested in stuff like that."

"Well...yeah," said Kasumi. Stopping at the temple to buy the charms, the two girls notice Momiji coming out of the crowd, satisfied with her purchase. She was wearing a yukata with an orange-and-white flower design, a gold obi tied into a _chōchō_ knot, black sandals with red straps, and a red flower in her hair.

 _"I managed to get one..."_ Momiji whispered to herself.

"Momiji?"

 **[Persona 3 - Mass Destruction]**

Momiji stops in place, turning her head to meet Ayane and Kasumi's curious gazes, her mouth wide open, unable to say anything as sweat slowly poured down her face.

"Oh, Ayane, Kasumi, fancy seeing you two here!" said Momiji. Looking at the charm in her hands, Kasumi asked her about it, the kunoichi hiding it behind her back.

"Charm!? I don't know what you're talking about!" she nervously told the girls.

"You just hid it behind your back," Ayane told her. "What charm did you get exactly?"

"Nothing! Nothing you girls should know!"

"Momiji." The kunoichi freaks out when Ryu appears behind her. Quickly Momiji turns to him, hiding the charm from him. "Are you enjoying the festival?"

"Yes, I am! Thanks for asking, Master Ryu!" she told him, her face red as she looked down at the ground. Quickly, Kasumi takes the charm out of Momiji's hands and looks at it.

"AHHHHH!" yelled the shrine maiden. Looking at it, Kasumi said, "Oh, so you got a relationship charm, huh...Who is it for?"

"None of your business..." said the blushing Momiji, demanding that Kasumi give it back, who gently tossed it back to her after noticing the way she was acting in front of Ryu, getting an idea.

"Hey, Ryu?" When asked what she needed, Kasumi asked the Hayabusa Ninja if he was still on duty, who tells her he was but would be off-duty once the fireworks show ended. "Momiji, why don't you tag along with Ryu on his patrol for a bit?"

"Oh, I don't want Momiji to give up some time to-"

"It's fine! I-I don't mind helping you out, Master Ryu! After all, someone has to watch your back, just in case!" said Momiji. "There's still tomorrow, right?" After thinking about it, Ryu allows her to accompany him on patrol. As Momiji followed her master and crush, she thanked Kasumi in her mind.

 **[Music End]**

"Momiji likes Master Ryu, doesn't she?" Kasumi simply nods at this. "How did that happen?" Kasumi happily tells her sister, "Who knows...Perhaps I should help you-"

"Absolutely not," Ayane interrupts in an embarrassed and abrupt manner.

 **With Hinata**

 **7:30 pm**

"So this is the Chuuma Village?" asked the Hyuga girl, arriving with Hanabi and Tenten.

"Wow..." was Tenten's only reply as Hanabi goes ahead of them and says, "Hinata, I'm going to go try out the takoyaki stand!"

"Hanabi, you shouldn't-" Tenten stops her, telling her to let Hanabi go off and have fun.

"She'll be fine. Let's enjoy ourselves as well, and look for Naruto." As the two girls visit some of the stands, Hinata noticed several beautiful girls in attendance. Looking down at her white and lavender yukata, she wondered what Naruto would think about her yukata. Noticing this, Tenten teased her, asking her if she was wondering if Naruto would like her if he saw her now.

"Eh!?" yelled a blushing Hinata. "I-I wasn't-"

"You were Hinata, I can read you like a book," said Tenten. "Don't worry, I'll stand with you as support, just in case you start getting nervous."

"Oh, if it isn't Yoshiko Hyuga's daughter..." Turning around, Hinata and Tenten look down to see Shigure Ameno looking up at them. "Welcome to Chuuma Village's Ninja Festival. I haven't seen you since you were just a little baby."

"Who...Who are you?" asked Hinata, the old woman introducing herself before telling her that her daughter was friends with the Hyuga girl's mother. "How is Yoshiko?"

"She is doing well, thank you for asking," said Hinata. Tenten introduced herself to the elder, bowing to her as a form of respect. When asked where Hanabi was, Hinata told Shigure she went off on her own. "Shigure-sama, by chance, do you happen to know someone named Naruto?"

"Oh, are you his girlfriend?" asked the elder, Hinata turning red as steam came out of her ears.

"N-N-N-No, we're not dating! Not at all!" she told her, waving her arms up and down.

"If you want to know, yes, I know him. He helped make some delicious curry buns for the festival. However, I don't know where he-"

"Look at him go!"

"How is that kid not full!?"

"Speak of the devil," said a smiling Shigure. Hinata and Tenten rush over to a large crowd of people spectating an eating contest. Maneuvering through the crowd, Hinata and Tenten had surprised looks on their faces as Naruto outeats a Chunin, scarfing down plate after plate of hot dogs, grilled squid, and beef. The other 10 contestants had passed out from eating too much.

"No...No more..." said the Chunin, passing out after he watched Naruto take three grilled squids and stuffed them in his mouth.

"We have a winner!" yelled the announcer as he took Naruto's left arm and raised it in the air. Looking at the 45 plates stacked near the blond, the girls wondered how he developed an appetite like that.

"Naruto!" Noticing Hinata and Tenten, the blond asked them why they weren't celebrating the festival back at the village.

"Hinata's mother gave her and her sister invitations to come here. For me, I know one of the kunoichis here," said Tenten. "Figure a nice change of scenery was needed."

"Where's Hanabi?" Hinata tells him how Hanabi went off on her own to have fun before asking Hinata if they should look for her. Hinata assures Naruto that Hanabi would be fine and that she could handle herself. "Hmmm...I guess with Ryu and other Ameno kunoichis on duty it should be fine...No, I think we should find her and have one of you with her."

"You could be right," said Hinata, following the blond as the three started looking for Hanabi. While they searched for her, Hinata decided to strike a conversation with Naruto.

"Other than that eating contest, what else have you been doing here at the festival? Are you enjoying yourself?"

"So far I've checked out many of the food stands with Ayane and watched her fail at goldfish scooping. After that, I hung out with her older brother, Hayate, trying out many of the festival's game stalls. We even had a small competition that ended in a tie before he went back to his duties. To answer your second question, I'm enjoying myself here."

"It's good to hear that you're enjoying yourself...Listen, last night, Tenten, Sakura, Ino, and I had dinner with Ayane and Kasumi at the Hidden Leaf and..."

"What?"

"She was very accurate with what she said, with the exception of me, for some reason," said Tenten. "Hinata's very bothered about what she said about her."

"What did she say to you exactly?" asked Naruto.

"She...called me a coward. The bad part about that is that it's true...Naruto, I could've been friends with you sooner if I wasn't such a coward. I mean...you needed someone to be your friend all those years ago and I...I..." At this point, Hinata started to tear up as Naruto calmly listened on.

 _"I was just as afraid of you as the villagers, I could've done more for you, but I just listened to what they and the other kids said about you..."_

"She really knows what to say to hurt people...Hinata, you're very brave right now, telling me about this. Looking back on that, and hearing your point of view, I can understand how you must've felt, wanting to approach me back then, but unable to act upon that want, along with the fear of being ostracized by not just the village and your friends, but your own family. You were put in a tight spot."

 _"Even so, I..."_

"Hinata, all of that is in the past. Don't let it get in the way of now. This, the present, is what matters now. Us friends, hanging out like this. While you can't change the you in the past, you can change the you who's here now, and so far, she's doing a great job at it, and at being my friend." After he said what the now-crying Hinata needed to hear, Naruto gives her a small smile as Tenten smiles. Wiping away her tears after bawling her eyes out, Hinata shares a smile with them, just as Hanabi shows up.

"Naruto?" Turning to Hanabi, the blond says hello to her. Noticing Hinata's swollen eyes, Hanabi asked Naruto what he did to make her cry.

"I just helped make her feel better is all," he said, adding how Hanabi shouldn't assume the worse. "Well, now that the four of us are here, why don't we hang out a bit before-"

"Naruto!" Turning around, the four see Kureha walking towards them, with Naruto surprised she wasn't on duty. "Oh, are these girls your friends?" The blond responds with a yes, a welcoming smile on his face.

"Kureha, you're done early?" The shrine maiden tells Naruto that she wanted to finish up with her duties quickly so she could spend some time with him. Looking at the girls, the shrine maiden tells Naruto the three of them looked beautiful in their yukatas. Hinata turned red as Tenten and Hanabi thank the woman for the compliment. "Don't you think they look stunning in their yukatas, Naruto?"

"They do," he said, making Hinata happy to hear he thought her yukata looked nice on her.

"Oh this calls for a group picture!" said Kureha, clapping her hands together before telling them in an excited tone, "Come, let's all get in the shot!" After taking a group picture, Kureha joined Naruto, Hinata, Tenten, and Hanabi in partaking in the festival's festivities, with Naruto paying for the girls and the shrine maiden. When going to buy the charms, Hinata was disappointed to find out that the relationship charms were all sold out, going for a good luck charm instead. At one point, a jonin from the Hidden Mist Village tried to grope Tenten's butt, only to get his ass handed to him by Sagiri, who was just passing by, making friends with her and Hinata in the process.

After Sagiri left to explore more of the festival, Tenten asked Naruto if a girl like Sagiri was his type, much to Hinata's unease. Naruto, thinking she meant the type of opponent, told her, "Yeah, definitely." Finally, Naruto and Tenten had a match to see who could hit the most targets at a game stall, ending with the two winning most of the top prizes, along with a ban.

 **9:46 pm**

"Mmmm, this chocolate core is so smooth..." said Tenten, as the others tried other snacks she and Naruto won at the stalls. Naruto was a bit silent as he was in deep thought. Noticing this, Kureha asked him if he was okay.

"...Perhaps...I should check out the Hidden Leaf's Ninja Festival tomorrow." This response surprised the girls as Kureha forms a smile on her face.

"Did I just hear this right? Naruto is going to celebrate the festival back in the village?" asked a surprised Tenten. "He usually doesn't join in on any celebrations within the Hidden Leaf..."

"Are you sure?" asked Hinata, Naruto responding with a nod.

"Well, if you're going, I might as well join you," Kureha tells Naruto, the blond asking her who would replace her in the yosakoi dance tomorrow night. "I'll ask Omitsu later on, don't worry." Getting up, she thanks the girls for allowing her to join them before preparing to leave with Naruto to go find Momiji, knowing of a spot where they could watch the fireworks together.

"Sounds good," he said. "I just need to use the restroom first. You can go ahead." Kureha nods at him before getting up and leaving. As soon as Kureha and Naruto were gone, Neji, Yoshiko, and Hiashi appeared.

"There you girls are," said Yoshiko, Hinata surprised that they showed up. "I thought you, Neji, and Father couldn't come."

"Turns out there were more invites sent to me, but I got them later than the ones I gave you and Hanabi, ehehehe..." said Yoshiko, scratching the back of her head. "Are you girls enjoying the festival here?" Hanabi voiced how fun the festival was at the Chuuma Village, telling her parents they should celebrate the festival here from now on.

"I'm enjoying it here very much, Mother," said Hinata. Moving her head towards her ear, Yoshiko asked Hinata if she had any luck with Naruto, the girl blushing red at this question. Seeing this, Yoshiko happily asked her for the details as the Hyugas and Tenten head towards a spot that would allow them to view the fireworks better, just as Naruto returned and saw them leave.

"They're watching the fireworks with the Hyugas, huh..." Turning around, Naruto begins heading towards the spot he was supposed to meet Kureha and Momiji. He stops in his tracks when he heard boxes falling down along with some screaming. Rushing towards it, he sees a little girl crying, having just being saved by Ayane, whose feet were stuck under the boxes. As the mother of the little girl checked on her daughter, Naruto helped get the boxes off of Ayane.

"You okay?" he asked her.

"Yeah, I am fine. Those things didn't even- AH!" Checking her right foot, Naruto noticed a little bruising around the ankle. With a small smile, Naruto tells her he'll treat her foot.

"I can do it myself," she told him, Naruto telling her to not be so stubborn and allow him to help as he got a handkerchief and started bandaging her right foot.

"That was nice of you. To save that girl from the falling boxes." Ayane turned red as Naruto continued treating her foot. "...Hinata said you called her a coward. Mind telling me what that's about?"

"I was angry she wasn't friends with you sooner...Otherwise, you'd..." Naruto smiles as her as he tells her, "I understand, just remember to pull back your "punches."

"Sometimes you have to be tough with people, or else they don't learn from their mistakes, or improve..." Wanting to change the subject, Ayane asked him what he was doing for the fireworks.

"I'm watching it with Kureha and Momiji. I was about to head there until I heard the boxes drop...There we go. Can you walk?"

"No...Seriously what the hell were in those boxes?"

"Who knows..." he told her, getting up.

"I'll be fine...Just...go meet up with Kureha for the fireworks..." To her surprise, he told her no. Next thing she knew, Naruto turned around and crouched down, telling her to get on his back. "What? But what about Kureha? Won't you miss-"

"I spent some time with her in Japan for a while before coming here. I'm sure she'll understand. Hurry..." Though a bit hesitant, Ayane slowly walks over and wraps her arms around Naruto as he carried her to where he was supposed to meet the shrine maiden.

 **9:58 pm**

As Naruto carried her, he told her of his time in Japan with Kureha, sounding happy as he talked about his time with the shrine maiden, telling her of the places they visited and the pictures she took using the camera he bought for her.

"You make it sound like she's your mother..."

"You're not wrong there..." Naruto told her with a smile. "She does have that motherly presence...Did you have plans to watch the fireworks with someone?"

"I was going to watch it with Genra..." she told him. "Though I couldn't find him."

"Is that right..." Ayane sighed as she told him how she and her "father" would watch the fireworks together every year.

"You don't want to watch it with Kasumi and Hayate?" Ayane told her that, as a Hajinmon kunoichi, they had they don't celebrate it with the Tenjinmon. "That shouldn't stop you from watching it with them."

"Even so, it's the rule."

"Well, it's a stupid one, if I must say so myself...Are you okay? Your leg?"

"No...It still hurts," she told him, burying her blushing face into his back. In truth, she was able to walk, but she wasn't going to pass at this moment now. "I should be fine, as long as Genra and I are looking up at the same sky...Also..."

"Also?" Before she could say more, the two hear the fireworks explode above them. Looking up, the two viewed the bright colorful lights that illuminated the starry night sky.

"They're beautiful..." Naruto said to himself as Ayane looked at him.

"Yeah...They are, aren't they?" said Ayane. As the two watched them together, Genra watched them in secret, smiling to himself behind his mask. At other spots, Hinata watched the same fireworks with her family and Tenten while Kasumi and Hayate watched it with their parents. After the fireworks show was over, Naruto made it to the spot where he was supposed to meet Kureha, finding Momiji there with her.

"There you are Naruto!" said a smiling Kureha, noticing the blond carrying Ayane on his back. "So you were with Ayane? I guess you watched the fireworks with her?"

"Yeah, she hurt her leg earlier...How is it, Ayane?" She tells him she could walk now and to set her down. Putting her down, Naruto asked her why her face was red.

"Just...a small fever. I'll be fine." As Naruto went over to talk to the others about their night, Ayane turned to her right to read a sign explaining the many charms people could get at the festival. One of them was the relationship charm. "A man may propose marriage by offering his relationship charm to a woman...How simple and ridiculous can these things be?"

"So did you win anything during the festival?" Kureha asked the blond.

"I won mostly sweets, plus this charm I got from winning the top prize at a shuriken stall," he answered, holding it up, surprising Kureha and Momiji.

"Naruto, that's a-"

"However, it's not something someone like me should be carrying." Turning around he called Ayane's name.

"What is it?"

"Here, you can have this." Ayane reacts quickly when Naruto tossed the charm to her, catching it in her hands. Looking down, her eyes widened when she realized he just tossed her a relationship charm. At the same time, the two shrine maidens turned red in the face.

"Oh my..." Kureha said to herself, her left hand over her mouth.

"Wait...WHAT!?" Ayane yelled, her face turning tomato red as she looked up at Naruto before looking down at the charm. "You're not serious...about giving me this, ARE YOU!?"

"Why wouldn't I be? I want you to have it," he told her. "Besides, I think someone like you would like it." Backing away a bit, Ayane turned redder.

"What? You're...You're serious!?"

"Of course I'm serious. Why wouldn't I-"

"Kyahh!" yelled Ayane, putting her arms behind her. "My sash..."

"What about it?"

"It's...un...unraveling..." Naruto's eyes slowly widened as he yelled, "EHHHHH!?"

"Oh my..."

"Do-Don't worry, I'll just go over and-" Ayane stops him, telling him to not come near her as her cleavage is exposed. "I...I can do this myself!"

"No, you can't!" Turning to Kureha and Momiji he asked them to help Ayane, only for them to look the other way as Kureha told him, "You should do it Naruto. After all, you have to take responsibility for her now..."

"I don't get what you mean, but okay." In an instant, Naruto appeared behind Ayane as he helps her fix her sash.

"It's your fault my sash unraveled." When asked how it was his fault, she told him he just had to give the charm to her.

"It's just a charm, I mean it's not like...I..." Turning to the Charm Board, Naruto read about the information about each one before noticing the information about the charm he gave her. Caught off guard, Naruto, now red in the face, accidentally lets go of the sash. The left sleeve of Ayane's yukata droops down, exposing her back and her left breast.

"IT"S NOT WHAT YOU THINK!"

"MY SASH!"

 **10:15 pm**

Hinata asks Naruto how he got a black eye as he stood next to Kureha, Momiji, and a blushing Ayane. Tenten, Hanabi, Hiashi, Neji, and Yoshiko all wondered about it as well.

"I ran into something is all," he told them.

 **"You ran into something all right. My fist,"** Ayane thought to herself. The blond assures them he would be fine and that the black eye would disappear within an hour.

"There you are, Naruto." Ryu walks towards them, Sagiri, Hibari, and Shigure with him. "How was your first Ninja Festival?"

"It was good. I...plan to go to the Hidden Leaf's tomorrow if that's okay with you."

"I don't mind, just remember that you need to return to the Hayabusa Village after," said Ryu.

"I'm glad that you enjoyed the festival here in our village. And as the head of the Main House, I, Shigure Ameno, would like to personally thank you for helping the clan with the festival. You are free to come to our village any time you want."

 **With Ayane**

 **Later**

 **Mugen Tenshin Village**

As Ayane entered Genra's house, the man himself welcomes her home. He is troubled to see Ayane angry with him, asking her why she was making that face.

"I was looking all over for you at the festival, and I couldn't find you," she told him.

"Apologies, Ayane. I didn't want to get in the way of your little date." Ayane turned bright red when he said that.

"You...You were watching?" Genra rubs his chin with his right pointing finger as he told her, "From beginning to end. Never thought I'd see the day where you went on a date with a boy, and the day you'd be "proposed to."

"You...You're the worst!" yelled Ayane, running to her room in embarrassment.

"Perhaps I teased her too much...If she's serious about him...I should look into this Naruto Uzumaki a bit more."

 **With Naruto**

 **Hayabusa Village**

 **Kureha's House**

Kureha hummed to herself as he looked over the photos she took on her camera, smiling as Naruto entered the room, having checked and found his black eye gone earlier.

"You take good pictures?" Kureha nods yes before asking if he wanted to see them. Naruto nods yes and sits next to her, looking at the pictures on the camera.

"Are you sure you want to go to the Ninja Festival back at the Hidden Leaf?" Kureha asked Naruto.

"Yeah, I'm sure," he said, sounding confident as Kureha smiled at him.

"To think the exam's finals are in less than a week...Naruto..." Turning to her, the blond wondered what she was going to say. To his surprise, Kureha kissed him on the forehead before telling him, "Do your best to train hard for the finals." Though red in the face, he gives her a wide smile before telling her, "You got it."

* * *

 **Finally, now I can start writing for the chapter with Gaara, and maybe some part of the final exams.**

 **Yes, it's confirmed that the Ameno Clan from '** **Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs"** **is part of not only the 458th Universe but part of the Ninja Nations. One other thing, Naruto has NO interest in Sagiri or Hibari Ameno. Just making sure everyone knows that.**

 **Regarding Hinata, she didn't do anything wrong, yes, but her being afraid of Naruto like the other kids, back when he was either 5 or 6, is something that I wanted to explore. It could have been possible for Hinata to help Naruto, had she approached him earlier and became his friend. Though it's impossible to know for sure if it could've saved him from being forced to grow up so early of an age.**

 **As I wrote Road to Journey to Now and this, I forgot to mention his headband. As I wrote this, I figured it was a good idea not to edit it into an earlier chapter, as it helps support what Ayane knows that others don't know.**

 **Wearing the village headband, for me, is like you're a part of something. Like you belong. Naruto, in his case, chooses not to wear it to show that, while he was born and raised in the Hidden Leaf, he's not a part of it, he's not one of the villagers. Who knows, with his decision to celebrate the festival in the Hidden Leaf, he may wear it at some point.**

 **The song Naruto listens to, "Nevermore (feat. Casey Lee Williams and Adrienne Cowan)" is from RWBY Volume 6. I felt that the parts involving freedom, a boy who lost his way and how said boy would see the light of day explained Naruto as a character who was in darkness but slowly comes towards the light.**

 **I have disliked Sakura for a pretty long time, but as you get older and see more of the character, you get used to them and start liking them. Again, with Ayane, girls like Sakura and Ino start changing, becoming better. I was planning to have the next chapter be with Sakura and Ino being nice to him, only to annoy Naruto, but I've decided to have that for the finals and for the invasion of Konoha. It'll be told in Part II.**

 **Regarding Naruto's new skill I mentioned early above, it's not really much but it's based on a game I have played that I can't seem to master personally.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Timeskip**

 **2 days until the Chunin Exam Finals**

 **With Gaara**

 **Hidden Leaf Village**

 **Night**

Gaara sat by himself on top of a looking up at the night sky on top of a fish statue on a temple. Gaara shifts his focus to Dosu, having noticed his presence.

"What do you want?" he asked the Sound Ninja.

"I was thinking of defeating you right here, right now. I'll have a higher possibility of fighting Sasuke," he told the red-haired genin, who remained silent as he stared down at Dosu. "I know of your sand attacks. Which do you think is faster? Your sand...or my sound?"

"...When there's a full moon..."

"Hmmm?"

"When there's a full moon, _ **his blood gets excited."**_ Without warning, Gaara transforms into an unknown monster, quickly disposing of Dosu. Finished with his kill, Gaara turns back to normal, panting heavily for a bit before smirking.

 **The Next Day**

 **1 day until the Chunin Exam Finals**

 **With Naruto**

 **Hayabusa Clan Village**

 **Kureha's House**

 **Morning**

Naruto made sure he packed everything as he prepared to return to the Hidden Leaf. Exiting the room he was in, he turned to take one good look at it. He didn't want to leave the Hayabusa Village, but he had an exam to finish tomorrow. Reluctantly, he closed the room door behind him before leaving the house.

 **Hayabusa Village Gate**

Arriving at the front gate, he sees Kureha waiting for him.

"Kureha? I thought you needed to go clean the shrine." Kureha tells him she was coming with him to the village, to his surprise. "Is there a problem with me keeping an eye on you for a while longer?" she asked in a curious tone. With a smile, Naruto told her there was no problem with it.

"Great!" When asked if Momiji was coming, the shrine maiden told Naruto she was covering her shrine maiden duties, the blond asking her if Momiji didn't have any problems with covering for her. "Of course, I mean, Ryu's helping her out with cleaning."

"I see..."

 **2 hours later**

 **Hidden Leaf Village**

"Oh, Naruto, you're back?" Naruto nods as Shikamaru noticed Kureha and asked him who she was. Annoyed, Naruto told him who Kureha was, informing him that he met her when he **(Naruto)** came to the village with her to celebrate the Hidden Leaf's Ninja Festival.

"Sorry, Naruto," said Shikamaru, sounding sorry as he puts his hands together in front of him, the blond sighing at him. "I swear, you only forgot because remembering things can be such a drag."

"Not everything to me is a drag," Shikamaru told Naruto. As the two genin made small conversation, Kureha just giggled at how funny their little argument was. After the small talk, Naruto and Kureha walked with Shikamaru to the hospital. Choji was due for a release from the hospital after eating some bad meat on a stick by mistake on the second day of the Ninja Festival. Naruto recalled that moment. It was meant to be for him, having been laced with some drug by a jealous student from the academy named Hibachi, who couldn't accept that Naruto not only graduated from the academy but was stronger than ever, wanting to make the blond suffer by any means. **(Note: Will be covered in Part II, where he may meet his end. I'd like to thank warhawk talons for giving more thought into a minor character from the Naruto series, which gave me the idea to add him into the mix. The only difference is that he will meet his end differently and he doesn't get experimented on. He will eventually go bad and join Orochimaru or something, idk. Haven't thought that far.)**

Naruto had caught him cheating on the written test for receiving their headbands and called him out for it, holding him back. Choji, at the time, was still hungry even after winning an eating contest. Having been grossed out by one of the contestants vomiting, Naruto, having lost his appetite, offered the meat to Choji. Knowing that Hibachi was the one who gave him the food, having been helping his parents with their food stand, Naruto had him confess to the crime, getting the kid into a lot of trouble from his parents, taking Naruto's side over their own son.

"Apologies for sending Choji to the hospital. If I had known that the meat had an odorless-"

"It's fine, Naruto. Had Kureha not been there, he could've been a lot worse. Plus, it was Hibachi who was in the wrong. I knew he was a troublemaker, I just didn't think he'd go that far to keep you from going to the finals."

"Yeah...By the way, has Sasuke been found yet?" Shikamaru tells Naruto that Sasuke was still missing, along with Kakashi. "With the two missing, that would only mean that Kakashi-sensei's training Sasuke for the finals."

"Have you been training well, Naruto?" Kureha answers the question for Naruto, telling Shikamaru that Naruto trained long and hard, bearing witness herself, adding that she sometimes had to carry him back to the Hayabusa Village after he exhausts himself.

"What about you, Shikamaru? Have you been keeping up with your training?" Naruto asked.

"Of course. I don't want to be outdone by you and the other Genin of our village."

 **Konoha Hospital**

Entering, Naruto, Kureha, and Shikamaru see Choji preparing to leave with Sakura and Ino. Noticing the three, Ino says hello to them.

"It's a surprise to see you two here," said Shikamaru. Sakura tells them they were visiting Lee earlier before they picked up Choji. Turning to Naruto, Sakura asked him if he would like to come with them to eat barbecue to celebrate Choji getting out of the hospital.

"Pass..." Sakura already knew he would say that. During the second day of the Ninja Festival, she and Ino were acting suspiciously nice to him, which served to antagonize him, the blond telling them how trying too hard to be nice to him wasn't necessary and that it didn't make his first Ninja Festival at the Hidden Leaf any better. "Well...maybe some other time?"

"We'll see..."

"...Naruto..."

"What?"

"Ino and I are sorry for ruining your time at the festival," said Sakura. "We both understand that we haven't been the best of friends with you-" Naruto stops Sakura midsentence before correcting her, telling her that Ino was a bit more tolerable and a little easier to talk to than her and that Sakura was more of an acquaintance than a friend. "...but we're trying. As your teammate, I want to do what I can to be good friends with you. I don't know what I can do to do right with you, but...For now, all we can do is say sorry." To her surprise, Naruto accepted it, though he kept his stoic expression.

"See you later, Sakura..."

"Later Naruto..." Naruto nods at her before leaving with Shikamaru and Kureha to see Lee.

 **3 minutes later**

"So this Lee boy's left arm and leg got crushed and there's a high chance that he won't be able to be a ninja anymore?" Naruto nods before Kureha voiced how sad it was.

"Yeah..." Approaching Lee's room door, Shikamaru prepares to open it, only for Naruto to stop him.

"What is it?" Naruto doesn't answer him as he pressed his ear against the door, Shikamaru wondering what was going on.

"I hear...sand!" Naruto opens the door to see Gaara, who was about to smother a sleeping Lee to death. The blond quickly runs at him and throws a punch at him, sending him crashing into the wall. The punch doesn't work since Gaara had used his sand to protect him and cushion the impact.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" asked Naruto, readying himself for a fight as Shikamaru prepared to weave hand signs.

"As you can see, I was trying to kill him," Gaara responds.

"Why do you need to do that?" Shikamaru asked the Suna genin. "You won the match. Do you have some personal grudge against him?"

"No...I'm going to kill him because I want him dead," he told the three. "If you bother me, I will kill you too."

"You're not killing anyone on my watch, " said Naruto, flaring his chakra, though Gaara doesn't look intimidated by this.

"We know that you're strong, since we saw your match with Lee," Shikamaru told Gaara, preparing to bluff him. "But...Naruto and I are strong as well. We didn't show you our strongest moves in the elimination round. Also, it's two against one, you're at a disadvantage."

"I'm only going to say this once more...If you bother me, I will kill you." Sensing Gaara's chakra, Kureha voiced how similar it was to Naruto's, surprising the red-haired genin.

"I guess that makes us the same, at least in regards to the demons inside our bodies...As your friend said before, I grew up in a bad environment. I took the life of my mother when I was born. To become the ultimate ninja, my father, the Fourth Kazekage, used a ninja technique to bind an incarnate of sand to me. I was a monster at birth." Now it was Naruto's turn to be surprised as Gaara continues speaking of his past. "It was the One-Tailed Tanuki known as Shukaku, and it was sealed in a teakettle."

"It must be one of the binding techniques to bind a soul before birth," Shikamaru said out loud. "To think that you guys would resort to such a thing...you guys are crazy. That's not what a parent should do. What a twisted way to show love."

"Love? Don't measure me by your values. Family? Let me tell you what kind of link I have with them. They're just lumps of meat linked by hatred and murderous intent." Naruto wanted to attack Gaara for voicing his views on family but held himself back so he could learn more about him. "I stole my mother's life and was created to become the village's masterpiece. And as the Kazekage's son...my father taught me the secrets of ninja techniques...I grew up after being overprotected, spoiled, and left alone. I thought that was love...until that incident happened."

"What happened?" asked Kureha, Gaara forming an insane smile on his face.

 ** _"These past six years, starting from when I was six...my father tried to assassinate me numerous times!"_** Gaara said with glee.

"But you said that he spoiled you," said Shikamaru. "So what do you mean?

 _ **"A being that is too strong eventually becomes the embodiment of fear. Since I was born from the usage of a technique, my mind was unstable. The idiots in my village finally noticed that my emotions were unpredictable. To the Kazekage, my father, I was the village's trump card. But at the same time, I was a threat. After I turned six, it seems that they classified me as a dangerous being. I was the village's dangerous tool but still handled with care. I'm only a relic of the past they want to get rid of. So why do I exist? I asked myself this question, but I could not find an answer. But I need those reasons while I am still alive. Or it would be the same as me being dead."**_ While Naruto and Kureha could understand what he meant, Shikamaru couldn't.

 _ **"And this is what I concluded...I exist to kill everyone other than me...I finally found relief inside the fear of being assassinated at any time. By killing the assassins, I was able to recognize my reason to live. I fight only for myself and only love myself. As long as I think that other people exist to make me feel that, the world is wonderful. As long as there are people to kill in this world...to make me experience the joy of living...my existence will remain."**_

 **"What's with him? He's really out of it."** Shikamaru thought as Gaara turned his attention to Naruto.

"You...Those eyes of yours are just like mine...If you truly are just like me, you must understand my views and understand the importance of fighting for yourself. You agree with my views, don't you?"

"...That could've been true for me, had we met years ago. However, as it stands now, I am nothing like you," Naruto told him, "We may have been born just to have some demon stored into our bodies, but the worlds we both live in, even the paths we have taken, are completely different. Therefore, I can't agree with your views." Gaara stayed silent for a bit after hearing Naruto's response before speaking.

"And here I thought you'd be able to understand me...Very well, _**you can all DIE!**_ " Quickly acting, Kureha takes out a glowing purple magatama and shines its powerful light at Gaara, causing him intense pain. At the same time, Naruto dropped to his knees and screamed in pain as well, his eyes turning demonic red.

"That light! It burns!" Gaara yelled. Not wanting to kill him and unwilling to see Naruto hurt, Kureha stops.

"The Eye of the Dragon, a powerful jewel of the Hayabusa Clan said to produce a blinding light that hurts even the mightiest of malevolent demons."

"Damn you..."

"Lay a finger on that sleeping kid and these two boys and it'll be the end of you...Now leave..." Kureha warned Gaara, preparing to use the Eye of the Dragon again.

"Tch..." Collecting his sand, Gaara leaves the room, though not before telling them, "This isn't over..." Once Gaara was gone, Shikamaru sighs a breath of relief as Kureha asked Naruto if he was okay.

"Yeah, I'm fine." With a smile, Kureha apologizes to the blond genin, who tells the shrine maiden it was fine, telling her she had no intention of hurting him.

"That Gaara...He's going to be hellbent on killing us tomorrow." Naruto agrees with Shikamaru as he recalls everything Gaara told them involving his life.

 **15 minutes later**

 **Ramen Ichiraku**

After assuring Guy that Lee was fine, Naruto decided to treat Shikamaru and Kureha to ramen.

"So this is the restaurant with the ramen I surpassed?" Ayame looked at Naruto, wondering what the shrine maiden was talking about. Naruto assured her it was nothing as Teuchi's daughter looked at him with suspicion before going back to work.

"Don't let Ayame know about it," Naruto told Kureha, who promised to keep it a secret.

"The light that came from the Eye of the Dragon, what's the story behind it?" asked Naruto, Shikamaru wondering as well.

"The jewel is said to hold the spirit of a mighty dragon. When the Dragon Sword, the weapon Ryu keeps with him at all times, was created, the 12 dragons who imbued the sword with their essence allowed the Dragon Lineage to carve a magatama jewel out of one of their crystal-like eyes. This magatama became known as the Eye of the Dragon."

"Wow, from a literal eye of a dragon," Shikamaru comments as his, Naruto, and Kureha's bowls of ramen arrive and are set in front of them.

"Whenever the Eye is fitted into the Dragon Sword's hilt, the true power of the sword is revealed, as the essence of the souls of the Dragon Gods are awakened, making the sword brim with divine power. Only with this can the Dragon Sword manifest its full power, becoming the True Dragon Sword. Because the Eye contains the spirit of the Dragon God from which it came, it can also find its way to the Dragon Sword. The jewel has been protected by the Dragon Shrine Maidens since the Age of the Dragons and is the most sacred treasure of the Dragon Lineage."

"Why are the two separated?" Shikamaru asked her. "With a weapon like that, enemies that could potentially threaten the world could be disposed of easily."

"Because the power of the True Dragon Sword can potentially pose a threat to the balance of the world, hence why it is customary to separate the two from each other to even them out," Kureha responds.

"The sword and the jewel are that powerful together!?" yelled Shikamaru.

"Of course."

"Are there any other risks?" Naruto asked her.

"Well, there's one for those who'd attempt to wield its overwhelming power. In order to wield the True Dragon Sword, they must possess the physical strength, vigorous spirit, and the proficiency of techniques necessary to wield it properly. If a weaker being were to attempt to use it, the blade may very well feed on the bearer's soul."

"What can you tell me about the Dragon Sword?"

"The answer to that requires going back to the beginning. The Dragon Sword was created at a perilous time after the Dragons were betrayed by one of their own, which became the Dark Dragon. With their strength gone, the Dragons placed all their essence, souls and spiritual power into one of their own fangs, creating the Dragon Sword. This divine weapon was then entrusted to the strongest and most spiritually pure of mankind, a warrior who would be the start of the Dragon Lineage bloodline. With the Dragon Sword, the Dragon Lineage warrior was able to slay the Dark Dragon, and his descendants the Dragon Ninja were able to banish the Evil Deities and their Fiends. As time went on, the Dragon Sword was passed down through the generations of Dragon Ninja, all the way to their modern descendants, the Dragon Ninja of the Hayabusa Ninja Clan. It was responsible for the deaths of evil beings too numerous to count. As long as the sword remains on this earth, it may only be wielded by a descendant of the Dragon Lineage bloodline, as well as those it deems worthy."

"That is one overpowered and dangerous sword," Shikamaru tells the shrine maiden, after slurping some noodles.

"Maybe, but there are many powerful swords somewhere around the world and throughout history other than the Dragon Sword, Shikamaru. Each with their own legend and power."

"More swords like the Dragon Sword?" Just hearing it made Shikamaru sweat a bit, wondering how the world is still stable with all the destructive weapons the world has.

"I've always wondered what it'd be like to have a magic sword of my own. However...Even with some good swordsmanship on my belt, I rather solve battles with my fists and my jutsu," Naruto adds before picking up his chopsticks and slurping on some noodles.

 **30 minutes later**

"Thanks for the ramen, Naruto." The blond tells Shikamaru that if either manages to win the exams, he was paying for the ramen next. "I guess that gives me a reason to give it my all tomorrow." Naruto says bye to his friend before leaving with Kureha.

"Shall we get going?" Kureha nods as they head to the blond's house. They stop in their tracks when they see Hibachi attempting to flirt with Sagiri, who looked confused by the things he was telling her, Hibari standing next to her cousin.

"So how about it? Want to go get wild tonight at the dance club that opened?" asked Hibachi.

"Get wild?" Sagiri tilts her head to the right in a confused manner, Hibari doing the same.

"He's asking for a date." Hibachi, Sagiri, and Hibari turn their attention to Naruto and Kureha approaching, the former telling Hibachi how his lines were very cheesy, and that most girls would rather be asked out normally.

"You!? You're back from that village?" asked a now-angry Hibachi. Annoyed once more, Naruto tells him, "That village" has a name, ya know?"

"So that was what he meant," said Sagiri, who then tells Hibachi she wasn't interested.

"I would stay far away from him, girls. He's-"

"What brings you two to the Hidden Leaf?" Naruto asked the girls. This served to shock Hibachi as Naruto casually talked to the two Ameno kunoichis like they were old friends.

"We figured we'd come and watch the Chunin Exam Finals coming up tomorrow. Hibari and I also wanted to check out this village for ourselves," said Sagiri, Hibari telling Naruto how nice of a place it was.

"I'm glad you like it here, Hibari. You girls-" Naruto is further interrupted by Hibachi getting in between him and the girls, telling him he was bothering them, and that they weren't interested in going with him.

"Get out of our sight, you hear me, you demon!?"

"Don't you have better things to do than trying to make an enemy out of me?" asked Naruto.

"I'm just doing what any good person would do and protect these girls from-"

"Who said we needed protecting?" asked Hibari, sounding serious as Hibachi turns around and sees her glaring at him alongside Sagiri.

"I don't know what your problem is with Naruto, but it seems this anger towards him is unjustified," Sagiri adds.

"Unjustified? This kid is-"

"We know what he is," Sagiri interrupts, adding that they didn't care what he was, earning a smile from a silent Kureha. "If you continue to call our friend a demon in front of us, we will show you no mercy." Hibachi clenched his teeth in anger as he turns and directs a glare at Naruto, only to be scared shitless when Kureha gets in front of the blond in a protective manner and directs a far more intense glare of her own towards him.

"D-...Dammit all!" yelled Hibachi, running off as Naruto and the girls thought, **"Kureha can be scary..."** Turning towards the Ameno kunoichis, Naruto apologized to them.

"No, you have nothing to apologize to us for, Naruto," Sagiri assured, waving her hand in front of her in a "It's all good" manner. "You didn't start it after all. But out of curiosity, what's his deal with you?"

"He's mad that I became a shinobi and that I caught him cheating at the graduation exams and exposed him for it," he told them.

"So it's anger through jealousy?" asked Kureha, Naruto nodding at her.

"I also had him suspended from the academy a few days ago, during the second day of the Ninja Festival, after he tried to get me sick."

"People like him make me sick," Sagiri said out loud, Naruto remaining silent after hearing those words come out of her mouth. Wanting to change the subject, Naruto asked the girls, "Before I was rudely interrupted, I was going to ask you girls if you were both planning to stay over here." Sagiri tells him they planned to stay at one of the hotels in the village. The blond voiced how it was a bad idea, due to the higher than regular costs of renting a room for one to three nights at one of the hotels. "Kureha and I are on our way to my house. If you want, you girls can stay over at my place until the Chunin Exams are over, or until you two decide to head back home. I have a lot of space, which includes two empty guest rooms for you and your sister to stay in, and I can cook."

"If you're offering, then we have no reason to not accept," said a now-smiling Sagiri.

 **Evening**

 **Naruto's House**

"First place!" yelled Sagiri as she beats Naruto, Kureha, and Hibari in **"Mario Kart 8 Deluxe"** , Kureha voicing how she came second place again.

 **"First Hinata, then Ayane, now Sagiri and Kureha?"** Naruto thought to himself. Looking at the time, the blond decided to stop playing to focus on making dinner for him and his guests. Just as he was heading towards the kitchen, Naruto hears the doorbell ring. Heading over to it, he opens the door to see Hiruzen saying hello to him, a smile on his face.

"I can already tell why you're here, Old Man." Hearing the way Naruto said it, Hiruzen noticed it was more welcoming than usual.

 **"He's in a fairly good mood..."**

"Come in."

"Thank you." Heading up the stairs, Naruto enters the kitchen as Hiruzen, after looking at the two Ameno girls playing the Nintendo Switch with Kureha, wondered, **"How many times does this make now?"**

"Dinner will be ready in about an hour so sit tight until then."

 **With Hinata**

 **Hyuga Residence**

Hinata lied on the ground, exhausted as Yoshiko told her she was ready for the finals tomorrow.

"How do you feel?" she asked her daughter, who told her she was tired.

"I'm also pretty confident that I can at least last more than 5 minutes against Naruto," Hinata adds.

"Good to hear, Hinata. Confidence is important to have, especially in the heat of battle." Going over to her daughter, Yoshiko, without warning, strikes one of her daughter's pressure points to re-energize her body.

"There, now you have the energy needed to get up and head to the showers."

"What was- How did you do that?" asked Hinata. "Is this a supportive form of Gentle Fist?"

"It is, and if you do your best tomorrow, I may decide to teach you what I know," said Hinata's mother.

 **With Naruto**

 **After Dinner**

"Ahhh, so full. I don't think I can eat another bite," said Hibari, sounding satisfied after finishing the kaisendon Naruto made for everyone.

"Just having a meal prepared by Naruto is a crime, especially when he's allowing us to stay here for free," Sagiri adds as the blond picks up their bowls, empty glasses, and utensils to wash, Hiruzen offering to help clean them with him. As Kureha and the Ameno kunoichis prepare for bed, Naruto and Hiruzen wash the dishes together.

"Tomorrow's the big day, huh?"

"Yeah..." Hizuzen tells Naruto that he's gotten even stronger from his time at the Hayabusa Village. "Yeah..."

"Do you feel ready to show the village what you're capable of?"

"In moderation," Naruto tells him, earning a smile from Hiruzen.

"In moderation, huh...Does this mean you'll go easy on-"

"No," Naruto interrupts. "I don't plan on holding back with Hinata, even if we're friends. It'd be insulting if I didn't. And it's not like I'm going to show her everything I know. Best save that for the finals."

"I understand that feeling too well. It was like that with me and Danzo, back when we had our Chunin Exams."

"I can picture that in my head...Old Man?" Hiruzen wondered what Naruto was going to say. "Earlier, one of the Hidden Sand Ninjas, Gaara...He has a demon inside of him like me."

"Is that so..."

"I could've been him...I would've ended up being like Gaara if it weren't for you doing your best to help me. Before Iruka, before I made friends, you were the only person helping me when others steered clear of me. I'm very grateful to know you so...Thank you." Never in his life would he hear Naruto thank him, let alone with a smile in front of him. He had never thanked the old Hokage, who asked if he really was Naruto. "Of course I am." Turning around, Hirzuen starts tearing up.

"Oi, Old Man, are you crying?"

 _"You are a good kid, Naruto. To hear you thank this old man is truly a very important day!"_ Naruto felt weirded out by Hiruzen, who says goodnight to Naruto and telling him he looked forward to his fight against Hinata before leaving to go home. As soon as the Third Hokage left, Naruto lightly smiled to himself.

"Weird Old Man..."

 **Naruto's Room**

"You sure Naruto?" asked Kureha, Naruto telling her he didn't mind if she had the bed.

"I'd feel bad if you slept on the floor."

"...Momma's Boy."

"Huh?"

"I can tell that, if your parents were alive, you'd be a full-on momma's boy for sure, not that it's a bad thing." Kureha told him, Naruto agreeing with her after giving some thought into it.

"...Kureha...About Gaara. Back at the hospital, everything he said, about me and him being the same...I admitted to it, yet... I told him I was nothing like him, that the worlds we both live in, even the paths we have taken, are completely different. He told me, "And here I thought you'd be able to understand me..." I can't help but sympathize with him when he said that, even if he had the intent to kill us. He acted like a monster, yet...he's not entirely one."

"Not entirely one huh...Seems to me like you want to help him."

"Right as always," Naruto told the shrine maiden. "I was in that darkness with him, but I had people who care for me pull me out. Gaara...While I had someone, he had no one..."

 **"So why do I exist? I asked myself this question, but I could not find an answer.** _ **And this is what I concluded...I exist to kill everyone other than me...I finally found relief inside the fear of being assassinated at any time. By killing the assassins, I was able to recognize my reason to live. I fight only for myself and only love myself. As long as I think that other people exist to make me feel that, the world is wonderful. As long as there are people to kill in this world...to make me experience the joy of living...my existence will remain."**_

 _"Why do I exist?"_ When Kureha asked him what he just said, Naruto told her it was nothing before saying goodnight to her.

 **With Ayane**

 **The next day**

 **Morning**

 **Leaf Border Walls**

Ayane lets out a sigh as she looked off into the distance, sitting on the edge of the wall. Today was Naruto's fight with Hinata, and she wanted to be there to watch. But she was stuck on guard duty, along with her fellow Mugen Tenshin Clan members, Genra, Hayate, Ryu, Momiji, and members of the Hayabusa Clan. Sagiri, Hibari, Shiden, Ayame, Kureha, and Jo were at the Stadium, where they could just sit back and watch the fights.

"Ayane, I know you want to go watch the exam finals, but guarding the Hidden Leaf is of great importance right now, especially since there's a chance that the Third Hokage's former apprentice, Orochimaru, is attempting an invasion," Genra told her.

"I'm well-aware, but there's also a chance that this Orochimaru will be a no-show," Ayane adds. Genra tells the purple-haired kunoichi that the best she can do for Naruto would be to believe he'll win. Noticing a large group of enemy shinobi approaching, Ayane informs Genra. "Yeah, I see them too." Taking a closer look, Genra could already tell that their invaders were from the Black Spider Ninja Clan. Seeing Ryu and the others rush over to the enemy, weapons drawn, Genra tells Ayane they should go help them, who silently nods.

 **With Naruto**

 **Stadium**

 **Field**

Hinata looked nervous and embarrassed as Neji, her parents, Hanabi, her teammates, and Tenten cheered for her to win. Naruto looks up and sees Kureha, Sagiri, and Hibari waving at him, who waves back at them in return, looking a bit embarrassed. Kureha was watching so he couldn't afford to lose after all the training he went through.

"I'll give this my all..." Looking at the other fighters, Naruto noted that Dosu and Sasuke still haven't shown up. It had already been 15 minutes since all the finalists arrived. **"Sasuke's still not here, along with that mummy guy...Looks like no one from the Sound Village is going to be Chunin..."**

"If that Dosu doesn't show up, that'll save me a lot of trouble," said Shikamaru. "If Sasuke doesn't get here when his match starts, he'll automatically be disqualified, and I'm sure that the crowd will be pissed if he doesn't show."

"Of course..." Naruto responds, just as the final round proctor, Genma Shiranui enters the scene.

 **Sidelines**

"By the way, has Naruto mastered the ability to avoid attacks without thinking?" asked Sagiri.

"Oh Heavens no," said Kureha. "While Naruto has mastered his ki control and the many ninpos Ryu taught him, he wasn't able to master that skill before his month at the Hayabusa Village ended. When he can, it's only for a second."

"Only for a second, huh..." Kureha assures Hibari and Sagiri that they had nothing to worry about and that Naruto had developed a very interesting way to compensate for it, piquing their curiosity.

"Though I'm not sure if he's planning to use it during this match or the next one," she told the girls before noticing Lee struggling a bit to get down the stairs. Being the good person she was, she helped him down.

"Take it slow, okay?"

"Thanks..." When asked if he'd like to sit with them, Lee, moved by Kureha's kindness, thanked her as she gives him a smile.

 **Field**

"To the Genin not fighting yet, please wait in the waiting room until your matches are next." The Genin make their way to the waiting room, with Naruto and Hinata staying in the middle of the stadium.

"It's finally happening, huh Naruto?" Naruto nods yes to her. "I'll try to do my best to-"

"No...You WILL do your best to win," Naruto interrupts, Hinata smiling as she noticed how Naruto left out the word "try" in his correction of what she was about to tell him.

"Begin!" Quickly, Naruto weaved hand signs before firing three small blasts of chakra from his mouth, Hinata rushing towards the blond as she avoids the three wind projectiles and threw forward a right Gentle Fist strike as Naruto prepared to parry it. However, It was a bluff as fired a blast of chakra from her right hand towards the ground, launching herself over Naruto, appearing behind him in mid-air and blasting him with Eight Trigrams Vaccum Palm from both hands, making Naruto skid forward.

Running at Naruto, Hinata throws two kunai at him as the blond turns around and kicks them back at her. The Hyuga slides on her knees to avoid the two kunais before spinning her body counterclockwise and performing a sweep kick. When Naruto avoids it, she quickly transitioned into a helicopter kick. Naruto blocks it with his arms before repelling her and hitting her with a one-inch punch that nearly knocked the wind out of her as she's sent flying back, recovering in time to plant her feet on the dirt ground, having covered her body with a thin coat of chakra at the last second.

 **"If I didn't do that and took the full force of that attack, the match would be over."** The blond doesn't stop there as he performs a quick right arm motion, launching a rapidly spinning crescent-shaped wave of chakra at her. Before she could react, she leaves herself open as Naruto disappears in front of her and appears behind her, knocking her toward the projectile. Getting hit by the projectile, Hinata flies back towards Naruto, who gets his left arm ready to perform a lariat.

Hinata quickly recovers as she grabs Naruto's left arm, to his surprise, as she spins her body around to appear behind him and knees him in the back, forcing him to land stomach-first onto the ground, holding his left arm and placing her right foot over his right arm. This surprised everyone watching as Kiba and Shino cheered for her.

"Sorry about this." Right after saying it, Hinata dislocated her friend's left arm from the shoulder, earning a comical but painful scream from Naruto and surprising her parents, her friends, and the proctor.

"Oh, that has to hurt," said Kasumi.

"You are unable to weave hand signs, and I have you pinned," said Hinata. "Either surrender or have your right arm dislocated as well."

"Sorry Hinata, but I don't plan on going down like this. Also, you should've paid attention to both arms instead of the one." Looking at his right hand, Hinata's eyes widened as the blond blasts her off of and away from him with a non-lethal blast of chakra. Quickly getting up, Naruto immediately but painfully pops his arm back into its socket, making one of the onlookers faint as Hinata gets back up. Naruto produced four clones to keep her busy as he cups his hands and forms a ball of gravitational energy **(Art of the Piercing Void).** Hiruzen, The Fourth Kazekage, Shiden, and Jo, along with the spectators looked surprised, even worried when the blond prepared the technique.

"Naruto, isn't that a bit overkill?" Kureha asked, sweating a bit.

 **"The Nine-Tailed Fox's vessel knows ninpo!?"** The Fourth Kazekage thought. After dispatching of the clones, Hinata changes the shape of chakra released from both hands into large guardian lion-shaped shrouds. This surprised her family, Yoshiko saying, "Hinata developed a new move on her own!?" Finished charging, both opponents launched their attacks at each other, which ended up canceling each other out, creating a huge explosion that covered the whole stadium with dust.

Hinata finds herself unable to defend herself, due to the dust that went in her eyes, as Naruto quickly threw a punch to her stomach, knocking her down. However, she turned out to be a clone, which immediately turned to smoke. Noticing her presence, Naruto calmly turns around and sees her preparing to use the 8 Trigrams 64 Palms Technique.

"You're within my range..." Instead of responding, Naruto readied himself as he lowered his posture into a braced position, leaning forward with his right arm and leg as if exaggerating a heater-shield guard stance, just as Hinata attacks. From the sidelines, the spectators only heard the sound of a strike connecting followed by a charged burst of energy. Once the smoke cleared, Hinata was lying on the ground, Naruto standing behind her.

"What...What just happened?" asked Sakura. "What did Naruto do?" Ino tells her she wasn't sure but tells her friend that, whatever he used, it was a single but powerful physical attack. With Neji, he notes how he could tell that Hinata was using the 8 Trigrams 64 Palms, but got interrupted somehow. With Kureha, she voiced how surprised she was that Naruto had to resort to using "that technique" to beat her.

"You know about the technique he used?" asked Sagiri.

"Yes, he used his one second of autonomous movement to automatically react to and neutralize Hinata's first strike and store the power of it in himself before releasing it back at her with a little more force than the original. While it's an incomplete technique, it's enough to give him the win for this match."

"That technique like that is imperfect? Makes me curious on its complete form," said Hibari as Lee kept looking at Naruto, recalling the match he had with him before the first part of the exams.

"Naruto, truly you are..." Back down at the field, as he looked down at Hinata, Naruto says to himself, "So much for not showing her everything I know and saving them for the finals..." Following this, he could hear cheering as he looked around him and was surprised to see the spectators cheering for him, telling him how the match was amazing and that he was pretty strong.

"Do you hear that Naruto? They're cheering for you..." said a tired and injured but smiling Hinata.

"They're actually cheering for me?" Hinata tells the blond he should try to look the part and smile, only for Naruto to ask, "Was I supposed to smile?" This earned a sweat drop from Hinata.

"You may have improved in strength, but your mood on occasions like this needs some work," she tells him, asking Naruto to help her up right after, the blond complying as he puts her right hand over his shoulder and helped her exit the stadium so he can tend to her injuries. As she watched Naruto help Hinata, Sakura, in her head, says, **"You just keep showing up how far of a gap we are. Fighting Zabuza...Beating that Sound Ninja and Kiba...and now. Just watching you fight makes me want to work hard and be the teammate you can rely on..."**

 **Sidelines**

 **4 minutes later...**

"Ow!" yelled Hinata as Naruto helped disinfect some minor scratches on her face, the other contestants watching him treat the injuries he gave her.

"I'm almost done..." he told her as he puts some bandages on the scratches before telling her she was good to go.

"Thanks..." The two could hear the crowd grow restless as they wonder when the next fight will start, the one between Gaara and Sasuke.

"Seriously, where the hell is that guy?" Naruto asked. "He better not be doing so in order to act cool." Shikamaru tells Naruto he doesn't think that was the case. "Pretty sure it is."

After some thought, Hiruzen decided to postpone Sasuke's match and start the match between Kankuro and Kasumi, only for Kankuro to forfeit, to Kasumi's confusion, moving forward to Shikamaru's match with Temari. Throughout the match, Shikamaru displayed his ability to strategize and find a way to trap the Suna kunoichi in his Shadow Possession Jutsu, only to forfeit the match after using up nearly all of his chakra.

"This is definitely going to be the worst Chunin Exam Finals...of all ti-," Just as he was about to finish his sentence, Sasuke and Kakashi appear in front of the field. "Just as I was about to finish. I told you he was doing so to act cool."

"Or it could just be a coincidence," said Shikamaru, Gaara making his way down to fight the Uchiha.

"Whatever it is, I'm not standing here to watch the fights. I'm going to go see Kureha." Kasumi tells the blond she'll join him as Hinata does the same, Shikamaru deciding to join in, not wanting to stay in the same place with Kankuro and Temari, the latter due to the match they had just a couple minutes ago.

Making their way to Kureha, the group hear a couple screams followed by bones breaking and blood splattering. Checking it out, they see that Gaara had killed a couple of Kusa-nin who wanted to coerce him into forfeiting the match. Finished with his kill, the Suna-nin continues walking towards the field.

"He just killed those two in cold blood," said Hinata, sounding scared before Kasumi says, "That boy...Sasuke better watch himself when he starts his match with him."

 **With Ryu**

 **Konoha Forest**

Ryu swings his Dragon Sword horizontally, decapitating a Black Spider Ninja as the others finish as well. Thinking it was done, they sense another wave coming. They are surprised to see that the Black Spider Ninjas have joined forces with the Red Dragon Clan **(Mortal Kombat series)**. Ayane sighed before saying, "Here we go again..."

 **With Naruto**

 **Stadium**

 **Field**

Gaara begins the match by using his sand to attack Sasuke, who backflips 3 times in order to avoid the attack. A psychotic smile on his face, he yelled, "I will drain every ounce of your blood from your corpse to quench my sand's thirst!" Sasuke activates his Sharingan before throwing two shurikens at Gaara, who catches it with his sand. Sasuke immediately appears behind Gaara in a blink of an eye, surprising him as the Uchiha kicks Gaara, sending him flying backward. Gaara's face cracks, showing that he has Sand Armor on.

 **Sidelines**

Naruto, sitting with Kureha, Lee, and the two Ameno kunoichis, the others standing next to them, watched the fight, the blond noting how much faster the Uchiha has gotten, Shikamaru adding that he was probably faster than Lee, who was uneasy just hearing it.

"With the speed Sasuke's going, he just might win the match," said Hinata.

"Maybe...but how long will it be until he's on the receiving end? That Gaara guy might have some tricks up his sleeve," Naruto told the others, feeling uneasy.

 **Field**

Running towards Gaara, Sasuke avoids another sand attack from him, appearing from behind and kicking him in the face, Gaara absorbing the impact of the fall using his sand as Sasuke begins running circles around him before appearing in front of him and starts beating the crap out of Gaara, in an attempt to break his Sand Armor. After a few hits, Sasuke throws him at a wall. Without any effort, Gaara gets up, uninjured.

"That Sand Armor you have on is pretty good," Sasuke told his opponent, who remained silent as he begins forming a dome of sand around himself, confusing Sasuke.

As the sand dome finished forming, Naruto sensed the demon inside Gaara as his eyes turn red and slitted for a few seconds before turning back to his normal blue ones.

 **"It's about to come out...this is bad."** Getting up, Naruto runs off to find Kakashi as Sasuke thinks to himself, **"Perhaps it's time I used Chidori..."** Finding Kakashi with Guy, Sakura, Ino, and Choji, he tells him they need to stop the match.

"...Don't worry Naruto, we were late for a reason," Kakashi assured him.

"What do you mean by you were late for a reason?" asked Naruto. Kakashi tells him to watch Sasuke, who jumps onto a wall, using chakra on his feet to stick on it before weaving some hand signs before covering his left-hand lightning-based chakra.

"What the hell..."

"It's a technique I invented when I was young. I taught it to Sasuke," answered Kakashi. Finished with the charge up, Sasuke ran straight at Gaara, thrusting his lightning covered hand into the dome, successfully penetrating it. Inside of the dome, Gaara's left shoulder gets stabbed by Sasuke's hand.

"What? What is this warm thing?" Gaara asked himself as blood drips down on Gaara's left arm. Gaara realizes that it's his own blood as he screams, "Blood! My blood!"

Outside of the dome, Sasuke struggles to get his arm out of the dome. Knowing he needed to act, Naruto tells Kakashi, "You may have taught him a technique to thrust into a person, what if he needs to pull out after he's finished?", before jumping down onto the field and tries to help Sasuke get his arm out.

"What the hell are you doing here!?" asked Sasuke.

"Making sure your arm gets out in one piece," Naruto responds before managing to help Sasuke get his arm out, just as they avoid a giant demonic arm attacking them, to Sasuke's surprise and shock.

"What was that just now?" asked Sasuke. Naruto stayed silent as the giant arm goes back inside the dome. The two look into the hole the latter created inside the dome and see a demon eye looking right back at them. A large roar is heard coming from inside sand dome before it breaks down, Gaara emerging from it, clutching his wounded shoulder. He gives Sasuke a death glare as Kabuto, disguised as an ANBU Black Ops member, use his Temple of Nirvana Technique to put almost everyone asleep. Naruto, Sasuke, Jōnin, the Kages, the Hyugas, Shiden, Jô, Kureha, Sagiri, Hibari, Shino, Shikamaru, and Kasumi notice the genjutsu and dispel the technique on themselves before they could fall asleep.

"Let's begin..." The Fourth Kazekage throws a smoke bomb to the ground, gaining the attention of everyone still awake as he grabbed the Third Hokage, held him at knifepoint, and jumped up to the roof. Four Sound Ninjas: A four-armed male named Kidōmaru, Conjoined male twins named Sakon and Ukon, an obese male named Jirōbō, and a red-headed female named Tayuya erect a large squared barrier made out of purple flames.

"Hiruzen!" yelled Shiden as he and Jo are quickly surrounded by several Sound Ninjas. The two engage them in battle as Sound Ninjas, disguised as civilians made themselves known and surround those who were still awake, Naruto and the others fighting them off.

 **With Hiruzen**

"I didn't expect the Sand to betray the Leaf."

"The treaty is merely a camouflage to relax an opponent. The petty mock battles end here. Starting now, history will be made," said the Fourth Kazekage, the Hokage asking him if he was trying to start a war. "Yes."

"You should avoid conflicts, and seek a resolution through negotiation. There is still time to stop this, Kazekage." Hiruzen only gets laughter from him before he tells Hiruzen, "Perhaps when you grow old, you become used to peace...Sarutobi-sensei."

 **"You're..."**

"I was planning on taking Sasuke once Gaara did his thing...but I guess I can't have everything go my way..." said the Fourth Kazekage, ripping off his own face to reveal a face Hiruzen was familiar with.

"So I was right...you are Orochimaru...I expected that a day like this would come. But...you cannot take my head so easily."

 **With Naruto**

As Hiruzen and Orochimaru fought, focusing their attention away from the Hokage, Naruto and Sasuke watch as Kankuro and Temari escaped with Gaara. At the same time, Sound Ninjas started engaging Jonins Kakashi, Guy, Kurenai, Asuma, along with others who broke the genjutsu, in combat. Kureha had blasted a Sound Ninja through a wall as Sagiri and Hibari double-teamed another one. Noticing a Sound Ninja lunging at Sakura, Kakashi throws a kunai at him, the blade flying straight into his head, killing him.

"Sasuke-" Naruto finds his teammate going after Gaara as the proctor fights Baki, the Sand Siblings' Jonin.

"Naruto!" The blond turns to look at Kakashi, who tells Naruto to go after Sasuke, and to take Sakura and Shikamaru with him.

"Got it..." said Naruto, quickly appearing in front of Sakura and Shikamaru, telling them, "Let's get a move on, you two."

"Why do I have to come?" asked Shikamaru, scratching the back of his head with his left hand, Naruto asking him, "Would you rather stay here with all these Sound Ninjas?"

"...Fair enough." Kakashi uses a Summoning Technique to Pakkun, a ninja pug, who jumps onto Naruto's head.

"That is Pakkun, one of my ninken. He'll be useful in tracking Sasuke," said Kakashi. "Once you reach him, stop him from going after Gaara and wait for new orders at a safe location." Naruto nods as Pakkun tells them to follow him as he jumps off the blond's head and goes on ahead, the three Genin preparing to follow.

"Naruto!" Turning to Kureha, he hears her tell him, "Be careful, okay?" Naruto tells her he'll try to before leaving.

 **Konoha Streets**

As they went after Sasuke, the three Genin notice all the fights that were raging on around them. Bodies of allies and enemies were lying along the path and on top of shops and buildings. Some areas of the village were partially destroyed as well.

"Our village..." Naruto said nothing as Sakura and Shikamaru processed the destruction and death that was slowly growing around them. Hearing a scream, Naruto tells them he'd be right back.

"Hey, Naruto!" Shikamaru couldn't finish as Naruto went off on his own. "What about the mission!?"

 **Alley**

Hibachi fell on his ass as he finds himself surrounded by 3 Sound Ninja. The boy felt nothing but fear envelop him as he soiled his pants in front of the Sound Ninjas, who couldn't help but laugh at him. Before they could kill the kid, Naruto appears and lands on top of the middle Sound Ninja, stabbing a kunai into the back of his head, killing him before pulling the kunai out and throwing it at the enemy on his left side, the blade stabbing into his throat, instantly killing him. The last one tries to attack him from behind, only for Naruto to sweep him off his feet with a kick before he felt the blond's right hand grab him by the head and slam him to the ground, his skull cracking open.

Hibari looked at Naruto with a scared expression on his face as the blond released his blood-covered right hand from the dead Sound Ninja's crushed head. Looking at Hibachi, Naruto looks down and sees his piss-soaked pants before looking up at the boy. Saying nothing, Naruto turns around and leaps away from Hibachi, who finds it humiliating that Naruto, of all people, saved his life, clenching his teeth in anger and annoyance, feeling that Naruto, when he was looking at him, was thinking, **"You are pathetic."**

Making his way to his teammates, Naruto sees five Red Dragon Ninjas **(Mortal Kombat series)** advancing towards him. The blond throws a kunai connected to a wire at one of the enemy ninja's chest, pulling him towards him and kneeing him in the chin, splitting his jaw and breaking teeth. A second Red Dragon spews a fireball from his mouth, Naruto using the broken-jawed ninja as a shield, killing him.

Naruto then threw the burnt corpse at the second Red Dragon before firing small air bullets from his mouth that kills him. The blond narrowly dodged a sneak attack from the three remaining Red Dragons. Quickly, Naruto kills his third Red Dragon by dash punching him twice and finishing him with a spinning roundhouse kick. He then dodged a punch from the fourth Red Dragon before punching him in the throat to stun him and then dodging the fifth one's kick by moving his head back, grabbing him by his head and headbutting him. As the fifth Red Dragon reels back in pain, Naruto kills the fourth one by launching him into the air with a backflip kick and sending him flying with a spinning kick to his face. The final Red Dragon pulls out two katanas from his back and swings them around to display his sword skills and hopefully strike fear into the blond.

"You better be ready boy, for I'm about to show you the Red Dragon Clan's famous-" Uninterested, Naruto kills him with a tech shuriken, throwing it at him, blowing up his chest upon impact, exposing his damaged ribs and heart. Finished, Naruto continues his way to his teammates, finding more resistance ahead in the form of Red Dragon and Black Spider Ninjas.

 **Konoha Forest**

Finished dispatching of the enemy ninjas who blocked his path, jumping from tree to tree, Naruto feels Shikamaru's chakra slowly being drained, concluding that he was using the Shadow Possession Technique on eight Sound Ninjas, sensing an extra one, making it nine. With two kunais in hand, Naruto propelled himself forward, kicking his feet in full force as he killed the 9 Sound Ninjas at blind speed, appearing as an orange blur, shocking the Nara boy.

"Mind telling me what happened?" asked Naruto.

"Nevermind that, you just killed those Sound Ninjas in 4 seconds!" yelled Shikamaru, Naruto calmly telling him to keep it down just in case more enemies were around. "You're ridiculous, Naruto."

"Thank you, Shikamaru, now tell me what happened? Where's Sakura and that little dog?"

"Dog's name is Pakkun, and they went ahead after I told them I was going to be a decoy to keep the pursuers away." Naruto looked surprised, telling Shikamaru he wasn't expecting him to lay down his life right then and there. "Of course, I had faith that you'd show up at the right time. What were you doing?"

"I saved Hibachi from some Sound Ninjas. Pissed his pants." Shikamaru tells him it was typical of the boy to wet himself whenever he's really scared. "Also, the Hidden Sand and Sound Ninjas, along with Gaara, are the least of the village's problems. The one who planned this invasion hired support from the Black Spider Ninja Clan and the Red Dragon Clan."

"You're talking about Orochimaru."

"Orochimaru?" Shikamaru tells him he heard Kakashi and Guy say his name when the Third Hokage was held hostage. "So that's who the village is dealing with...Whatever the case, we...I should continue the mission. I'm sure the village can handle the enemy forces until back up arrives. You've done your part, Shikamaru. Take a rest somewhere until everything has been settled. Don't want you dying on me."

"You don't have to tell me twice, also, nice to hear you care," Shikamaru told him, Naruto nodding his head yes as he goes on ahead. Making his way to Sakura and Sasuke, Naruto stops when he sees Shino in a bit of a pinch as he fights Kankuro, who was wielding a puppet for combat.

"Hey Shino, what's up?" asked Naruto, Kankuro using this time to attack the unsuspecting blond. However, the blond had never let his guard down, knocking the puppet away with a light knock of his fist and telling the puppet master, in a threatening manner, ** _"I'm talking to my friend, don't interrupt."_** Kankuro formed a scared look on his face, wondering if he'll have to face him.

"Need help?" Shino tells him he'll be fine and to let him handle Kankuro. "You sure?"

"Positive," Shino responds. "Sakura and that dog she was with are 4 minutes away from here. You can catch up to her if you move now." Naruto thanks Shino before leaving, earning a sigh of relief from Kankuro. After 3 minutes, Naruto caught up to Sakura, who asked him what took him so long.

"If I told you I was killing enemy ninjas, would you believe me?" Sakura sweats a bit before telling the blond she wouldn't want to answer that question. Just then, Naruto sensed a powerful chakra signature that overwhelmed Sasuke's. It was nearly identical to his power. Going on ahead in a quick zig-zag maneuver, Naruto builds up enough speed to send Gaara, who was in a partial demon-state, flying into 4 trees with a kick, landing on a branch in front of the Uchiha as he prepares for what's next. Turning to check on the Uchiha, he noticed Sasuke had his cursed mark active, concluding that he took a big risk and used it to increase the power of Chidori, taking a toll on him.

"We were one step too late," said Pakkun, looking at Sasuke's state.

"And I thought I was reckless," said Naruto, turning to see a wounded Temari watching as Gaara recovered from his kick and jumps up to and lands on a tree branch across from him, quickly extending his left hand forward, aiming to kill Sasuke, However, Sakura gets in the way, saving the Uchiha, though she gets knocked unconscious and pinned to a tree by Gaara's left demon arm.

"I'll make sure you suffer a painful and agonizing death as I slowly crush your body!" yelled the partially-transformed Gaara.

 **[My Hero Academia S3 OST - All Might vs All For One]**

As Naruto slowly turns to face Gaara, the latter goes into a form that turns his body, save for his legs, into a small version of his demon.

 **"His power has increased..."**

Gaara leaves some sand to trap Sakura in, which slowly started to constrict and crush the unconscious Sakura before lunging at Naruto, ready to swing at him with his left arm. Taking a defensive stance, Naruto neutralized the attack, once it connected, before releasing the energy back at Gaara with a thrust of his right palm. The attack, however, is ineffective. Gaara's demonic upper body had increased its durability by hardening the sand that made it up. He had also encased Naruto's right hand to keep him in place.

"That attack was pathetic!" yelled Gaara, backhanding the blond. Naruto feels the overwhelming weight behind the attack as he gets knocked away by it, crashing through 12 trees. Painfully, he got up, healing as Gaara came at him.

 **"Not only has his physical attacks been augmented, but his defense is also nearly impenetrable with that sand hardening his body before impact. My counter-attack didn't even faze him."**

Naruto puts his arms in front of him as he raised his ki to increase his defense as Gaara inhales air, causing his body to swell up, before exhaling, launching a wind attack that was mixed with sand that's been coated with his chakra. Naruto had to constantly raise his ki to sustain his defense as the attack connected. Once the attack was finished, Naruto jumps back when Gaara slams both his fists downward, leaving a small crater where he was standing earlier, before forming his left hand into a knife-hand and swinging it horizontally, a trail of light accompanying the hand's motion as the blond leaves a large horizontal cut on Gaara's chest before teleporting above him.

"CROSS SLASH!" Naruto comes back down hard, swinging his right foot downward, leaving a vertical cut that managed to break through his defense. Naruto performs five backflips to avoid Gaara's swinging attacks, noticing his attack, while it broke through his defenses, failed to draw blood.

Naruto produced 5 clones before they each form an air grenade and threw them at Gaara, who smothers them with his right hand, the attacks harmlessly exploding in it. The Suna-nin swings his right arm once more, destroying Naruto's clones and narrowly cutting the blond with his claws, cutting the front of his jacket. He catches Naruto by surprise by revealing a tail, which strikes him from the left, breaking Naruto's left ribs as he flies into a boulder rolls out of the way when Gaara fires a flurry of sand bullets, missing the blond as he decimates the boulder.

Naruto throws a tech shuriken at Gaara that blows up in his face upon contact. Though it does little to damage him, he's temporarily blinded as he swings his right hand around in a berserk rage. Naruto ducked as Gaara's right arm stretched over him, hitting the tree behind the former, who stabs a kunai under Gaara's arm. Moving away, the nine exploding tags around the kunai's handle explodes, severing the Suna-nin's arm. Regaining his sight, Gaara immediately regrows his right arm with sand before sending a tsunami of sand at the blond, who jumps from tree to tree to elevate himself above the sand tsunami. This would leave him open when Gaara extends his left hand and ensnares his left ankle before slamming him down hard onto the ground and swinging him around like a flail, Naruto screaming in pain whenever he hits the ground, Gaara laughing out loud as he did it, finishing his assault on Naruto by grabbing him by the face and dragging him through the dirt ground, partially shredding the right side of his face and throwing him forward, the genin's back hitting the ground hard. Naruto, his body aching in pain, slowly struggles to get up as the right side of his face heals at a fast rate, despite the damage he took. The healing takes a bit out of him as it uses his stamina and ki to repair the injuries he received.

 **[Music End]**

"Your efforts to stop me are futile! Unless you embrace your monster, you can never hope to defeat me!" yelled Gaara. "Once I kill you, I will kill that Uchiha, then those you care about, including that woman who was with you at the hospital! You'll be just like me!" Hearing his intent to kill Sasuke, Kureha and his friends, acquaintances even, Naruto tells him, "You're not going to kill me...and you're not killing anyone else... I'll make sure of it as long as I am standing..."

"Then I'll make sure you can no longer stand!" Gaara jumps in front of Naruto and swings his left arm downward. Without saying a word, Naruto increased the overall strength of his left arm by infusing it with chakra, blocking the attack, to Gaara's shock, before he puts his left fist to his ribs underneath, charges it with ki, and releases that energy in a powerful explosion that managed to break his defense and make his opponent cough blood as he's sent flying into a tree **(Raida)**.

 **"This boy...He's gotten stronger?"** Looking at the blond, Gaara noticed something was off about him, mainly his eyes, which now have an intense bright blue glow to them.

"Never..." he told Gaara. "I will rely on my power to defeat you. I won't rely on power that hurts people, including those I care about," he told him, recalling the time he hurt Rin, and the time he almost ripped off Haku's arm.

"Then you are a fool to reject it!" Gaara told him as he got up, repairing the parts of his form that Naruto destroyed with sand before lunging at him. Naruto uses his one second of self-movement to avoid Gaara's diagonal swing before performing a left elbow strike to Gaara's chest. He then infused his right fist with ki, connecting it with his left open palm, sending the ki through his left arm that exits through his left elbow as it goes through Gaara's defense.

Gaara reels back in pain a bit, growing angry with being at a disadvantage as he goes into a berserk rage and attempts to attack Naruto again, who casts Art of the Wind Blades to radiate blades of vacuum from his body, slashing Gaara's arms to pieces, said arms turning to sand as Gaara yells, "DAMN YOU!" to him. Focusing his ki, Naruto amplifies his internal bioelectricity before punching Gaara with both fists, electrocuting him and knocking him back to where Sasuke and Temari were.

"What? Gaara is..." Seeing Gaara all battered, Temari wondered what Naruto did to him as Sasuke and Pakkun wondered the same. Back with Naruto, the mysterious and intense glow in his eyes disappear as he drops to his knees and pants, unaware of the power he used, thinking he pushed himself too hard.

"Did I get him?" he weakly asked himself.

 ** _"No...I won't lose...Not to someone like him, who fights for others...I WON'T!"_** Naruto and Sasuke's eyes widened when Gaara transformed into his full demon form, that of a sandy-brown colored tanuki, with dark blue cursed seal markings all over its face, body, and tail.

"So that's Shukaku...Well, things have taken a turn for the worse," said Naruto as he looked up at the demon known as Shukaku. Looking down at Naruto, Shukaku encases him in sand, wanting to end him as soon as possible. Thinking quickly, Naruto takes from blood from his lip and weaved hand signs before slamming his right hand onto the ground, summoning Gamabunta, the Chief Toad.

"Oh, if it isn't Naruto. Been almost 3 years since you've summoned me. Let me guess..." Looking at Shukaku, he asked Naruto, "You're finally up against something you can't handle?"

"That thing across from us is way above my weight class, as you can see," Naruto responds.

"Shukaku, huh...This should be interesting," Said Gamabunta, taking out his tanto blade and leaping at Shukaku and swings the large blade as he passed him, cutting off the tanuki's right arm in the process.

"What a tough fellow...He's so solid I barely managed to pull out the slash!" said Gamabunta, Naruto informing him of his ability to harden the sand that made up the demon's body as the large toad turns around to face the demon. "Is that so..." Looking at Shukaku, Naruto spots Gaara's upper half sticking out of Shukaku's forehead.

"In gratitude for giving me such a good time so far...I'll show you the true strength of the sand spirit."

"That poor host, he's got chronic insomnia from being possessed by Shukaku. If they were ever to totally fall asleep, Shukaku would gradually devour their personality until they eventually stopped being themselves...Due to that, the host personality tends to become unstable after a while..."

"Feigning Sleep Technique!" Gaara forces himself to fall asleep, surrendering control to Shukaku.

 ** _"WHA-HAHAHAHAHAA! FREE, I'M FINALLY FREE! STRAIGHT OUT THE GATE, I SEE SOMEONE I WANNA SLAUGHTER!"_** Right away, Shukaku fires a ball of wind from his mouth as Gamabunta leaps up into the air to avoid the attack and launching five water bullets from his mouth. Shukaku cancels them out with five air bullets, quickly firing a sixth one after, which hits the large toad. _**"WHEE! I DID IT! I KILLED 'EM, I KILLED 'EM!"**_ Despite the injuries, Gamabunta lands on his feet.

"Ow, that hurt! That little ball was packed with an unbelievable amount of chakra! Someone like me can't take many more of those little balls!" yelled Gamabunta.

"We have to knock Gaara awake to undo that jutsu of his," Naruto suggests. "And another one to bring down that demon made of sand."

"In order to do that, we'll need to get up close and stop that large raccoon's movements! That should give us the opening to strike! Any ideas?"

"...One...I just need two minutes to concentrate and gather more ki. I will warn you, we only have one shot at this," he told the toad, holding up his right pointing finger.

"Better than nothing!" Gamabunta yelled as Shukaku stretched his left arm to attack the toad, who dodged left before swinging his tanto down on the limb, cutting it off and dodging an air bullet. The Chief Toad then leaped forward and sliced off the demon's right arm, jumping back to avoid Shukaku's tail swing. As Naruto gathered ki, he began to wonder how it came to this. Back then, he never saw himself as someone who'd willingly fight for his village. The Naruto several years ago would've left the village and stayed as far away from it as possible.

 _ **"** **S** **hould the village be under attack, and these people are in danger and need to be rescued, I'd save them regardless of how I feel. You don't need a reason to save them, only because it's the right thing to do. A true hero puts up with it and saves people, even the ones who hate them, for truly...their actions can change the hearts of those who used to hate or reject them. Like the heroes you aspire to be, only you can change how the people of Konoha see you by earning it. It all starts with how you go about it. I think that's something you never understood, even if it was in front of you." - Hinata**_

 _ **"Whatever you have against your home and the people there, wherever it may be...you're not willing to ignore those who need help, regardless of how they see or treat you, because...you're a good person who can change people's minds with your actions. I truly believe it." - ? (Road to Journey to Now)**_

 _ **"You can, and you will. I know it because you're afraid, unsure of whether you'll succeed or fail. That fear you have shall be your reason to not give up and try harder. It's okay to feel the way you are now, but don't let it overcome you. If there's still a part of you who believes you can change the Leaf Village, keep holding on to it, and never let go." - Kureha**_

 **"The old me would've left this village to suffer from this attack. But now, I have people who depend on me, and a village that's starting to accept me...I'm not fighting for myself anymore..."**

"Naruto, are you done yet!?" yelled Gamabunta, narrowly dodging an air bullet.

"Yeah!" said Naruto. "Charge forward and hold him down."

"I can't hold him down with my hands!"

"I got that covered, now do it! I don't have time to explain!" With a sigh, Gamabunta says, "Alright then..." As Gamabunta advanced towards Shukaku, the tanuki fires a large air bullet, intent on finishing the toad off.

 **[** **Persona 5 OST -** **Our Beginning]**

"Art of the True Typhoon!" To Gamabunta, Temari, Sasuke, and Pakkun's shock, Naruto launched a large black and luminescent green serpentine wind dragon out of his hands. The dragon lets out a large roar as it breaks through the air bullet and wraps itself around Shukaku's body, preventing the demon's arms and tail from moving before biting down at the demon's neck, Shukaku roaring in pain.

"Since when could you do that!?" yelled Gamabunta.

"Focus!" yelled a half-tired Naruto, Gamabunta telling the blond he pulled all sorts of ridiculous techniques at the craziest of times before grabbing hold of Shukaku, holding the demon's mouth closed. Naruto jumps up onto Shukaku's nose and started sprinting towards Gaara, avoiding the sand spikes protruding from the demon's head and, reaching him, punched Gaara hard in the face, waking the red-haired Suna-nin.

"Good, Naruto!" said Gamabunta.

 _ **"NO! I DON'T WANT TO GO BACK IN! AAARGH!"**_ Shukaku's hold on Gaara breaks as his host wakes up, angry that Naruto hasn't died yet, despite giving Shukaku full control of his body.

"Damn you, NARUTOOOOO!" The blond goes for another punch, only for Gaara to ensnare his legs and arms with sand as the former tries and struggles to land a punch. The wind dragon slowly starts to disappear as Gamabunta tells him it was now or never.

"I shall kill you!" Gaara yelled. "I will not cease to exist, and I will not lose to someone like you!" As Naruto begins to struggle, his eyes give out the same intense glow from earlier, shocking Gaara. Letting out a rougher and deeper roar, Naruto headbutts Gaara using all the strength he could muster, drawing blood from both of their foreheads. The Shukaku likeness crumbles as the wind dragon disappears.

"Not bad Naruto, not bad..." Finally, Gamabunta dispersed in a puff of white smoke.

 **[Music End]**

Falling, the two land on trees opposite of one another before exchanging glares. Getting up, the two readied their fists as they leaped at each other, ready to end it. However, Naruto dodged the Suna-nin's punch at the last second before landing the final blow, his right fist connecting to the latter's face as the two plummet to the ground hard. The fight over, the glow disappears from Naruto's eyes as he struggles to get up.

 **[Persona 3 OST - Memories of the City]**

 **"Naruto Uzumaki...Why are you so strong?"** Gaara wondered as Naruto managed to stand on his own two feet despite having used up nearly all of his chakra and ki.

"Loneliness...Like you...It was the only thing I knew. It's now an old friend of mine I have buried," Naruto told the Suna-nin. "I had the same thoughts you have, back when I was only six. But, along the way, I made friends. I used to reject them. I didn't care about them either. But...despite how negative I was to them, they never gave up on me. They helped me change. Slowly, but surely...Even those I didn't give two shits about, I'm starting to care for them, though I don't admit it to their faces...Gaara...Fighting only for yourself, loving only yourself...You're only digging yourself a deeper hole to crawl in until you can't get out...If there are people who exist to make you feel like that, don't be what they think of you. You have the power to change them. Take it from me when I say it doesn't work right away. Change takes time. I should know...Alone...you can never enjoy the world, nor truly experience the joy of living...Seeing the world and living on it is better when you have people who love you, whom you would live and die for..."

 **"So** **that's what makes him strong..."** As Naruto falls forward, Kureha appears as the blond rested his head on her left shoulder.

"Kureha? How-"

"I teleported here after sensing your ki. Sorry I couldn't come sooner, what with all the Sound Ninjas I needed to help get rid of." When asked what happened to Sasuke, Sakura, and the Hidden Leaf, she told him they were safe, and that reinforcements had arrived in the form of the Warrior Priestesses of Hinomoto, the Ameno Clan, and more ninjas from the Mugen Tenshin and Hayabusa Clans. Satisfied, Naruto passed out as Temari and Kankurō appeared and took Gaara with them, Kureha allowing them to go. With Orochimaru's plans foiled, Suna surrendered while the surviving enemy ninjas from the Sound Village, the Red Dragon Clan, and the Black Spider Clan retreated. As Temari and Kankurō carry him home, Gaara apologizes to them, to their surprise.

 **[Music End]**

 **Hidden Leaf**

 **Stadium**

As Orochimaru retreated with the Sound Four and a disguised Kabuto, the former's arms being sealed away by the Dead Consuming Seal, Hiruzen, his body heavy, lies on his back. He knew he was dying, accepting his fate as he thought of the people he'd leave behind, finally thinking of the last time he talked to Naruto, and keeping the image of the first and only genuine smile Naruto ever showed him fresh in his head.

 **"Before Iruka, before I made friends, you were the only person helping me when others steered clear of me. I'm very grateful to know you so...Thank you."** With a satisfied smile, Hiruzen passed away peacefully as he finally closed his eyes, right before the ANBU Blacks Ops and Jonin found him.

 **Two Days Later**

Naruto, wearing all black, stood next to Kureha as they and all the residents of the Hidden Leaf along with the forces who helped come to the village's aid attended Hiruzen's funeral. Konohamaru, heavily saddened by his grandfather's death, was consoled by Iruka. Feeling a light drop of water hit his nose, Naruto looks up in time to see light rain pouring down on him and everyone at the funeral.

"The sky's weeping," said Kureha.

"It seems so," Naruto responds as people start walking towards the altar and offered flowers to the late Hokage. "...Kureha?"

"Hmmm?"

"Dying...When someone dies on a mission or through war...it happens startlingly quickly, and simply. They leave so much behind. Friends, family, dreams, and goals...It's scary to die, isn't it? Especially when you have to part ways with people...?"

"It is...He may have left people he cared about behind, but that doesn't mean he's truly gone."

"What do you mean?"

"I believe that, even though someone's gone in body, they're still here in memory, and through the bonds they've formed. These bonds formed are like strings that connect, even as time passes, growing thicker and stronger, even after they pass away...These bonds, they're the many things worth fighting, even dying for. You'll eventually find yourself risking your life time and time again for others, because of these bonds. After all...you have people now, right?" Naruto can only nod as it became his turn to walk to the altar and offer a single flower to Hiruzen as Kureha did the same after.

Once the rain stopped and the sun's light shined upon the village, the people continued their everyday lives. The day after the funeral, Jo Hayabusa, as a favor to Hiruzen, ran the village, something the elders were uneasy about, Kureha deciding to stay with Naruto, wanting to stay and spend more time with the blond. Four days later, Naruto and Shikamaru were called over by Jo, who revealed that the two were recommended for the promotion to Chunin Rank, just before the late Hokage's death. While Shikamaru decided to wear his flak jacket, Naruto decided not to wear his, telling him how green wasn't his color and how the jacket looked cool on the Nara boy. On that same day, Naruto made the decision to wear his headband.

When he wasn't out helping the village rebuild and restock on supplies or going on missions, Naruto went through more training with Ryu and Kureha in hopes of strengthening his ki even further, Ryu noting how the month of training before the exams was only the beginning and that the training Naruto was going to go through now would make him stronger, along with the techniques he learned from him.

He also started becoming a little nicer to Sakura, even accepting her offers to hang out with others. For Sasuke, after the Chunin Exams, he became very distant towards his teammates, the distance growing even further after Naruto became a Chunin. The missions Team 7 were assigned to got hectic at times, Sasuke being the main root of the problems.

As for the Hidden Sand, after they found the decaying corpse of their Kazekage and apologized to Leaf Village for their betrayal, they received the aid needed to help restore the village's strength. Naruto heard that the two villages were in talks of improving their relationship between them so another incident like the one during the Chunin Exams never happened again. Gaara even sent Naruto a letter, thanking him for showing him the right path, and that he was starting to improve his relationship with his older siblings.

 **2 months later**

 **Zeroth Training Ground**

Naruto effortlessly defeats two boxing kangaroos, a giant anteater, and finally, a talking ostrich named Condor, kicking the latter to the ground hard. It was ridiculous to admit, but Naruto was familiar with Condor, having been sent on a mission alongside Team 7 to capture him and return him to his owner(s). The blond only had to give off an aura of killing intent that immediately knocked out the bird, who couldn't speak at the time. When Naruto was called in to help recapture them today, he was none too happy to hear that.

"Ridiculous," Naruto said to the wounded and scared Condor, sounding annoyed. "To think you four animals had escaped again and...somehow learned fighting techniques. It's like the start of a bad plot of an episode...If I had a choice in this, I'd just kill you and your buddies and cook you up into a large meal. I heard that ostrich meat is very low in cholesterol and healthier than beef..." With that simple threat, Condor passed out, foaming in the mouth.

 **Hidden Leaf Village**

 **Front Gate**

"Thank you so much for bringing my pets back," said the animals' owner.

"Do me a favor, and keep better watch over them. Because the next time they get out...I WILL eat them, regardless of the mission." The owner sweats a bit, not wanting the next time to come to that. "Heck, you can just give them to me now and I'll pay you-"

"OKAY BYE!" yelled the owner, moving as far away from the blond as possible, Condor vowing never to break free again, knowing he won't survive the third escape.

"Naruto..." Turning around, he sees Ryu walking towards him, asking him if the mission was a success.

"It was a simple one that anyone could finish. I just hope the owner keeps a good eye on them now," Naruto responds. "With that over, are we going to continue where we left off yesterday?"

"Yes, come, we-" Naruto and Ryu stop as they turn around and see Jiraiya and Kureha approaching them, the shrine maiden holding a backpack full of food and supplies for the blond.

"Pervy Sage? Kureha?"

"Yo, Naruto!" said Jiraiya. "Been some time huh?" Naruto does not reply as he turns to Kureha and asked her what the backpack was for.

"Jiraiya wants to go on a little research trip for one of his books, and he wants you to come with him. I'm simply here to give you your backpack, with all the necessary meals and supplies for it." Grateful, Naruto thanked Kureha as he took the bag from her, unaware of the fact that he ignored Jiraiya, though the Toad Sage lets it slide.

"This is no ordinary research jaunt. There's this particular woman I want to cover, so we need to find her."

"Hello, is this the police? I'd like to report on a stalker-" Jiraiya stops Naruto, telling him it wasn't like that as Kureha giggles a bit, Ryu remaining silent as usual, though he did smile under his mask. "I'm also going to be teaching you a new technique, unlike anything you've ever seen. One mightier than the Chidori..."

"...Must be something," said Naruto as he wears his backpack. "I'll be sure to come home as soon as possible, Kureha."

"Oh, before you go..." Kureha walks over to and kissed Naruto on the right cheek, earning an embarrassed look from the blond, who tells her, "Master Ryu and Pervy Sage are watching."

"I know...Be sure to stay safe, and make sure you listen to Jiraiya, okay?" Naruto promised her as he and Jiraiya leave, the former being unaware of the true reason they were going out, along with a new threat that was slowly approaching.

 **Konoha Forest**

"This is great. Me and you out on a little adventure and inspiration for a book."

"That involves women, expensive booze, gambling, and leaving me to train on my own after a quick lecture," Naruto adds.

"I know, I know, I'm the worst...That headband looks good on you. Makes you a bit more mature."

"You think?"

"Yeah...To think that, after this month, we're leaving the village so you can go to a college in Tokyo." Naruto corrects him, telling him it was a university. "Tokyo U...I never expected that a soon-to-be 13-year old ninja from the Hidden Leaf would pass a special exam that would allow young prodigies to attend a university of their choosing, especially with flying colors."

"It is me we're talking about...Also, you were the one who suggested I take it." Jiraiya tells Naruto he was joking that time, and that he was inebriated when Naruto asked him.

 **"However, with "that organization" on the loose, this does create some distance between them and Naruto, especially with all those heroes..."** Jiraiya thought to himself. "If you're open to answer, what sort of degree are you going for?"

"...One that involves Writing." This surprised Jiraiya, who couldn't help but ruffle Naruto's hair.

"So you want to take up after me huh?" asked Jiraiya, Naruto denying it, telling him he was going to write his own books, and that they weren't going to be like the Icha Icha series. The two continue to banter as they made their way towards a town.

* * *

 **This was a large and difficult chore, but I persevered!**

 **First of all, I'd like to start with the intense glow Naruto's eyes have during his fight with Gaara. It's a power that's from something, which I can't tell. However, I'm sure people will find out eventually. NO, IT'S NOT ULTRA INSTINCT! Making it clear. It's unmastered, and Naruto is unaware of its power, or that he used it, thinking he had a second wind. Plus, he was in a middle of a fight or die situation so he is left unaware of this power. How it triggers is unknown.**

 **Second, focusing on** **? (Road to Journey to Now), the character is a she. Said character has met Naruto in Road to Journey to Now, whom he'll meet again in Part I's epilogue, and will be a main character in Part II., someone he can relate to other than Ayane. She's from another series, and I'm sure you all know who it is.**

 **The reason why this girl is question marked is because Naruto doesn't know who she is. He never asked for a name after their little meeting, that or he forgot to ask for it.**

 **Naruto has become a Chunin alongside Shikamaru! Don't forget, this isn't canon Naruto. This is 458th Universe Naruto, so he's very different from his main counterpart. And no, Hiruzen was not choosing favorites. Naruto has already proven himself to be a very capable ninja who can handle a situation with a calm mind.**

 **Once more, I'd like to thank warhawk talons for giving Hibachi, a minor character, depth. Be sure to read his stories. He's a newcomer but give him credit for writing what he wants to write.**

 **Hibachi will make an appearance again in Part II, mostly in flashbacks, and may be part of a character's chapter or two, haven't thought that far. I never hated a minor character so much. After rewatching episodes he was on, my hate for him grew even further.**

 **The part where Naruto saved him, I feel, was the ultimate form of insult towards Hibachi. I felt that showing Hibachi how capable of a ninja Naruto is was the ultimate insult, the pissing in his pants being the icing. I originally wanted to have Naruto tell Hibachi he was in need of a new pair of pants, or have him giving him a smirk before leaving. But, having Naruto saying nothing won over, given how there's an invasion going on, and he had a duty to accomplish.**

 **The defense technique Naruto uses is based on the Royalguard Style from the Devil May Cry series. I may consider adding Devil May Cry to the 458th Universe, or not. If not, I may also consider taking a page out of the CW's Arrowverse and have it so that characters from different universes can cross over to the 458th Universe, using a device to do so. You know, convenience.**

 **There was little Ayane in this chapter, mainly because I wanted to focus on the exams and the Naruto characters. Only characters like Kureha, Kasumi, Sagiri, and Hibari had more focus in the chapter, the latter two being spectators who contribute in protecting Konoha, Kasumi being one of the opponents in the exams, and Kureha being an important figure to Naruto.**

 **Naruto seems to have changed a bit more and has (finally) worn his headband! He has also started to be a bit nicer to Sakura as the days following Hiruzen's funeral passed.**

 **Regarding characters you originally dislike/hate, for me, it was Sakura. But as you get older, you can tolerate her character and slowly start putting up with her. Right now, she's 50/50 to me, and that's saying something.**

 **Regarding Naruto's ki, a whole month of training at the Hayabusa Village is not enough. What Naruto went through during that whole month was just the beginning. Outside of the story/chapters, Naruto continues being trained by Ryu Hayabusa, with Kureha helping him out a bit. I base this one the level strength of the ninpos in Ninja Gaiden II. Right now, each ninpo Naruto knows it at Level 1, meaning they need to improve until they're Level 3, which is their max level.**

 **Yes, the Red Dragon Clan make their appearance, meaning Mortal Kombat is a part of the 458th Universe. This takes place somewhere between Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11.**

 **When it came to the Third Hokage's funeral, I wondered whether to make Naruto cry for the first time in a while. But I felt it wasn't time, seeing as how he was still developing as a person. Naruto may have been close to Hiruzen, it was about 20/80, given Hiruzen's role as the Hokage. At the very least, he was there for Naruto when he was a baby up until age 6/7. When he does cry...I'm keeping that to myself. I want that moment to be very sad and emotional, something bad that will impact him.**

 **I HAD to include a filler character like Condor. It was mainly because it was ridiculous for Naruto to have trouble with handling an ostrich, so this was a little payback. And yes, ostrich meat is tasty and healthier than beef.**

 **Yes, Naruto is leaving the Hidden Leaf after a month. Before that, things take a turn for the worse. You all know what I mean. After all, we read the manga and watched the anime and movies. Naruto's time in Tokyo U will be explored in Part II. Akatsuki wouldn't dare set foot on their turf, knowing just how mighty the heroes there are, making it a perfect place for Naruto to lay low.**

 **For Part II, it'll focus on other Konoha characters, Naruto having adventures of his own. Hopefully, it's not boring, because what happens back at the Ninja Nations will deeply affect him and continue on in Part III. I mean, just because Naruto is in America doesn't mean that he doesn't have some action going on. There's comedy, action, maybe horror, drama, and other things.**

 **Part II will also support the idea that the 458th Universe is bigger than it looks. There are characters from other series who make themselves known, Ninja Gaiden, Dead Or Alive, Queen's Blade, and Yuuna and the Haunted Hot Springs being proof that there's more than just Naruto, and this is just Part I. Part II and Part III will have more as the 458th Universe starts expanding like a roster to a video game, a series coming to the CW or a cinematic universe for the big screen.**


	9. Chapter 9

**OP1: Overwhelming Vivid Days by Nanami Yoshi**

 **Uchiha Clan Forest**

A sweat-faced Sasuke heavily breathes as he finished creating a hole in a large rock with Chidori, recalling Naruto's strength, and the skills he displayed. This was made apparent when Naruto became a Chunin. Sasuke couldn't help but feel an immense amount of jealousy and anger towards his teammate. On every mission Team 7 went on following the attack on the Hidden Leaf, Sasuke would try to deal with most of the problems himself, unwilling to let Naruto be the one to jump in when the situation got worse, whether it was caused by the Uchiha himself acting on his own or an enemy they never expected. No matter how hard he trained, Naruto would train harder. Near the end of the fight with Gaara, Sasuke had sensed a mysterious change in his teammate that quickly faded away. Just what was that power? And what was Naruto?

"I should go see Kakashi and ask him to train me..."

 **Elsewhere**

"It was a hassle escaping the village after the head of the Hayabusa Clan and that son of his arrived after you put Kakashi under that genjutsu of yours. Had we stayed, we could've died then and there, Itachi," said Kisame. "Now to make matters worse, the Nine-Tails is with one of the Sannin. With him as our enemy, our titles pale in comparison."

"Still...even the strongest heroes have their weaknesses..."

 **Kakashi's Apartment**

Kakashi lied unconscious in his bed as Kurenai, Asuma, and Guy watched over him. Kakashi, Kurenai, and Asuma had an encounter with the two missing-nins, which resulted in Kakashi being caught in a genjutsu that damaged him mentally, making him lose consciousness. It was only due to Guy and Ryu's appearance that the three managed to survive the fight. After Itachi and Kisame left, Ryu went to his father to report about the incident.

"From their behavior, it doesn't seem like they've found Naruto yet..." said Guy, Asuma noting how odd it was that they've already been inside the village and that it was easy to find Naruto in it. Following this, Guy tells the others to shush as Sasuke enters the room.

"Kakashi..." Seeing the state he was in, Sasuke forms a questioning look on his face. "Why is Kakashi bedridden? What are all you Jonin doing here...What the heck's going-"

"IS IT TRUE THAT ITACHI SHOWED UP IN THE HIDDEN LEAF, AND THAT HE'S AFTER NARUTO!?" yelled Aoba, a fellow Jonin, having entered at the wrong time. Hearing that his brother was back, Sasuke's eyes widen in shock before he bolted out of the room to go find Naruto.

 **Unnamed Town (A few miles from Konoha)**

"Naruto, we're staying here for tonight!" yelled Jiraiya, Naruto unable to hear him as he listened to music on his headphones, the sage having to go over and press the pause button on his headphones to get his attention. "Naruto, we're staying here for tonight."

"Oh, okay. So, when are we-" Jiraiya stops Naruto when he sees a woman with long, straight black hair and large, dark-brown eyes grab the Toad Sage's attention with a wink and a smile.

"Naruto, here are the keys to the room! Just listen to your music and do whatever you can to keep yourself busy! We'll proceed with training later!" he told the annoyed blond as he hands him the room keys before leaving with the woman.

"Just like that, he's off...I knew this was coming...Knew it..."

 **Unnamed Hotel**

 **Hotel Room**

Naruto continued to listen to his music as he focused on image training, picturing himself fighting, in order, Jiraiya, Gaara, Rin, Ayane, Ryu, and Tatsuya. He had been going at it for a good half-hour as the Kyuubi constantly tempted him with his power. This had been going on right after Hiruzen's death, telling him he could've saved him, had he used his power. As always, Naruto would ignore the demon, raising the volume of his music to drown out his voice.

Naruto stops his image training once he heard someone knocking on the door. Knowing Jiraiya, he'd at least say something after knocking three times. He could also sense three chakra signatures behind his room door, each one stronger than Gaara's. Instead of opening the door, Naruto throws an explosive kunai at it, blowing it to pieces, catching Itachi and Kisame off-guard as the blond kicked the latter out of the window behind the shark-faced Akatsuki, the two landing on the roof of a building across from the hotel, Naruto using him to cushion the impact before preparing to fight him.

 **Unnamed Building**

"Owww...For a child, you pack a good hit. I guess that's to be expected of the Nine-Tailed Jinchuuriki..." said Kisame, snickering as he got up.

"Who or what are you?" Naruto asked. "You're a long way from SeaWorld."

"Kisame Hoshigaki, a pleasure to meet you," he told the blond as he takes out Samehada and points its bandaged blade at him. "I'll make sure to go for the legs, so you don't have a chance to run away..."

 **Unnamed Hotel**

Before he could go help Kisame, Itachi stops in his tracks. Slowly, he turns to see Sasuke glaring at him, Sharingan active.

"Long time no see, Sasuke."

"I will...KILL YOU!" Sasuke told him, venom in his voice, recalling the night that Itachi massacred their whole clan, save for him. "Just as you told me to...I've resented and hated you...and lived solely to end you! As he said it, he prepared a Chidori before charging straight at his older brother, thrusting his left hand forward as Itachi stood there, looking unimpressed by his little brother's technique. Without any effort, the older Uchiha caught Sasuke's left arm and, with some pressure, breaks his younger brother's wrist before kicking him back. Sasuke hits the wall behind him hard as his older brother tells him, "You're in the way of my mission."

"Mission? The hell are you talking about?" asked the young Uchiha, struggling to get back up as he coughs in pain.

"I'm here for Naruto Uzumaki, under the orders of the Akatsuki. I have absolutely no interest in you, Little Brother..." When Itachi prepares to jump out of the hole Naruto created, he stops to sigh, turning his attention back to Sasuke, who activates his cursed seal and spewed a large fireball from his mouth.

Itachi simply swats it away with his cloak before appearing in front of Sasuke and beating him until he's half-conscious and, with his Mangekyou Sharingan active, puts him under Tsukuyomi, a powerful genjutsu that was exclusive to the eyes he possessed, though not before telling his little brother, "You're still too weak...You don't have enough hate..."

 **Unnamed Building**

Naruto parries Kisame's Samehada with a kunai before knocking the sword out of his hands with a kick from his left foot. Disarm, Kisame quickly weaves hand signs and sends a shark made out of water at Naruto, who destroys it with a burst of wind. Quickly, he throws five tech shurikens at the Akatsuki member, trapping him in an unknown pink substance. To his surprise, he couldn't break free, and his body gradually started becoming weak.

"What is this!?" yelled Kisame. "I can't muster any strength..."

"Powdered magnesium carbonate foam. It'll suck the moisture out of you every time you struggle," Naruto told him before dodging a fireball Itachi spewed from his mouth. Noticing his Sharingan, Naruto could tell who he was.

"Itachi Uchiha..."

"I take it Sasuke told you of me..." he asked.

"Small bits and pieces..." Looking at Kisame, Itachi tells the blond, "To think you managed to trap Kisame..."

"He's a literal shark man..." Before the two could fight, Jiraiya appears next to Naruto, holding the woman he was with earlier, who was currently unconscious.

"Jiraiya..."

"Itachi...Naruto, stay back, I'll handle this one. As you are, you won't be able to beat him," he told the blond, who understands, backing off. "You did well though, trapping one of the Akatsuki. He'll be perfect for interrogation." This earned an angry glare from Kisame, who was still struggling to break free from the foam.

"Placing a genjutsu on a woman to separate me from Naruto so you could take him easily." Naruto looks at Jiraiya with confusion in his eyes when he revealed Itachi's objective. "...I never saw you as a coward, Itachi Uchiha."

Itachi said nothing as he goes over to collect Kisame and Samehada. Before Jiraiya could engage, Itachi blocks his path with a wall of black flames and escaping. After storing the mysterious black flames in a scroll, the two arrive back at the hotel, where they encounter an unconscious Sasuke. Checking on him, Jiraiya notes how his left arm and ribs were fractured. "He's also blacked out from whatever jutsu Itachi used on him." Naruto said nothing as he looked at his teammate.

"DYNAMIC ENTRY!" Jiraiya, turning around, gets kicked in the face by Guy as the blond chunin looks on, unsure of what was going on as Jiraiya yells at the Jonin and asks for an apology. "Sorry for kicking you. I was in such a rush, I forgot my hand mirror, haha... So I used my headband instead, but it didn't give me the clearest image and I thought you were the enemy." Naruto tells Guy how that wasn't much of an apology as Jiraiya agrees with the former.

"Well, never mind the apology. What's important now is to get Sasuke to the Medical Corps ASAP. Physically, he should be fine. His mind, however..."

"I see...Kakashi's also bedridden from whatever jutsu Itachi placed on him. We don't know when he'll wake up...If only "she" was still here with us..." said Guy, Jiraiya telling him, "That's why I'm about to go search for her." This surprised Guy, who says, "You mean...You're really..."

"I don't follow," Naruto tells them, raising his hand to get their attention.

"Naruto, the woman we're finding is one of the three Sannin, The Queen of Slugs and Elixirs...The One who wears "Betting" on her back, Lady Tsunade!"

 **15 minutes later**

After Guy left with Sasuke, Naruto and Jiraiya resume their journey, Naruto having a clear goal in mind: To find Tsunade. As they're walking along the dirt road, the blond chunin asked him about Itachi and Kisame, mainly why they were after him.

"It's not you they are after, but what's inside you."

"The Nine-Tailed Fox..."

"Bingo. The Nine-Tailed Fox has appeared in times of consequence all through the ages. It's a ghastly spirit, destroying everything in its path. That's why people in ancient times feared it as one of the divine retributions," he explains to Naruto. Why they want such a thing, I honestly don't have a clue yet. One thing I'm leaning on is their intention of placing its power under their control. These guys...Akatsuki, they'll never stop coming for you. It's your destiny."

"It's a stupid destiny, having to look over my shoulder for these guys." Jiraiya tells Naruto not to worry, adding how he'd be around to protect him. "You can't do it forever though, which is why I have to get stronger, so we can protect each other." This response surprised Jiraiya, even touched him. "You watch my back, I'll watch yours..."

 **"Naruto..."** With a proud smile, Jiraiya ruffles his hair, telling him, "You're a good kid."

"...So this Tsunade...What's she like?"

"She's kind of unpleasant...and she's addicted to gambling, and her face is well known in numerous lands. She's also quite infamous, as "The Legendary Loser."

"Vegas would definitely chew her up," Naruto jokes, Jiraiya agreeing with him.

"A woman like her won't be found so easily. She's not one to grow old gracefully, so she's probably using jutsu to mask her appearance. Though she's in her 50s, she probably looks like she's still in her 20s."

"Do you have a clue on how we're going to track her? asked Naruto, Jiraiya informing him that he wasn't going to track her with him. "You are going to train, that's why you're here. I'm tracking her down."

 **Unnamed Town**

After Jiraiya collected some intel on Tsunade's whereabouts, Naruto following him everywhere they went, he and the blond chunin hiked up to a forest not far from the town, tossing him a water balloon.

"Are we going to have a water balloon fight?"

"The only ones I'd have those with are women in nothing but swimsuits. Now watch closely." Naruto's eyes widen when Jiraiya forms a spiraling blue sphere of chakra in his right hand.

"This here in my hand is the technique I'm going to teach you," he told him, dispersing the sphere after. "The first part of making it is the rotation. Watch my hand and learn." In his right hand, Jiraiya pops a water balloon by swirling the water inside it. "With that water balloon, you'll learn to create a stream of chakra. I'll explain further after you pop that balloon. I have to go collect more on Tsunade. I'll come back later after I get a hotel to-"

"I'm fine sleeping outside," Naruto tells him, Jiraiya asking him if he was sure. "Yeah. You can sleep in somewhere. I'll be fine, don't worry."

"...You know what, I think I'll sleep outside too. I'd feel bad if you were the only one outside."

"Really, then I hope you can eat insects." Jiraiya paled when Naruto said that, telling him, "You've been watching too many survival shows, Naruto. Next thing you know, you'll be drinking your own-"

"I wouldn't go that far for survival, Pervy Sage."

 **4 Hours Later...**

Naruto and Jiraiya sat beside a campfire as they enjoy the cooking Kureha made for the former.

"This is very good! I may even ask her out!" Naruto glared at Jiraiya as he was eating. "It's only a joke."

"Uh-huh..." After swallowing his food, Naruto asked Jiraiya what sort of jutsu the chakra sphere was.

"It's one of the legacies of the Fourth Hokage. It's called the Rasengan," Jiraiya revealed. It's an A-Rank Super-Advanced Ninjutsu. With a technique that doesn't require hand signs, it'll be perfect to add to your arsenal."

"Rasengan..." Jiraiya adds how it took the Fourth Hokage 3 years to complete it, the blond wondering how long it'd take for him to complete the technique. "Since you're you, I'm sure you can finish it faster than he ever could."

"Yeah...Pervy Sage...Why do you exist and live?" Jiraiya asks Naruto what brought up the subject. "Gaara had those same questions, but he could never find the answer. By now, he may come to find it. For me...I don't know. I figured I ask you, so I can have a clear idea about my reasons." Aware of his own reasons, Jiraiya opts to not tell the blond chunin.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that, Naruto," he answered. "The thing about that question is that you can never be prepared for it, and you can't know the reasons why right away. No one can... Knowing too soon makes you hasty. I know that through experience, several experiences to tell you the truth. That question of yours is all part of a big journey, one you figure out with time and wisdom."

"...What sort of experiences have you been through to find your answer?" Yawning, Jiraiya tells Naruto he's tired, dodging the question, deciding he'll go to bed right away, telling Naruto not to stay up late. "Y-Yeah..." Late into the night, as Jiraiya slept peacefully in his sleeping bag, Naruto stayed up trying to pop the water balloon in his hands, going nowhere with it as the water in the balloon swirled counterclockwise. He stops when he finds himself near his limit.

"Still no progress..." Sighing Naruto sits down on the grass as he looks at the water balloon and places it on the grass. "This is as hard as the time when I started developing the Air Grenade Technique...Wait..." Thinking about the time he developed the Air Grenade, mainly on how to contain the air compressed on the sphere, and comparing it to the Rasengan and Jiraiya's demonstration of bursting the water balloon, Naruto's eyes widened with realization. Getting up and taking the water balloon into his right hand, Naruto focused on making his chakra swirl the water inside it around in many different directions, bursting it.

"...Shit!" Naruto happily yelled, an accomplished smile on his face, having solved the first step. He pops another one to be sure, with success. As a tired Naruto lies on the grass and fell asleep, Jiraiya, having watched him pop the water balloons with one eye open, smiled to himself.

 **Morning**

 **8:20 am**

Smelling something good, Jiraiya gets up and turns to see Naruto cooking cream stew over a fire. Noticing the toad sage, Naruto says good morning to him.

"The stew will be done in 10 minutes."

"I take it you've finished the first step?" asked Jiraiya, aware of it but decided to find out how Naruto would react to it now, having seen him all happy about it last night.

"Yeah, I finished it," he responds, making it sound like it wasn't a big deal.

"That's not the kind of reaction I was hoping to see," Jiraiya told him. "I was hoping you'd be all happy about it after solving it and yelling a bad word." Naruto's eyes widened, turning towards Jiraiya and saying in an embarrassed tone, "You...You saw that!?"

"Yes, I did. It's a rare treat to see you act like a kid, Naruto. Maturity does not suit a kid like you, and it's a lot better than the personality you project 85% of the time!"

"You weren't supposed to see that! The only ones who can see that are..." Naruto stops himself before he revealed the names. "Just go brush your teeth, Pervy Sage!"

"Okay, okay..." As soon as the toad sage left to tend to his hygiene, Naruto said, "...Geez, he's not letting that go any time soon."

 **After Breakfast**

"I'm telling you Naruto, there's nothing wrong with expressing your achievements with others other than those who deserve the right to," Jiraiya told Naruto, who was annoyed about him seeing his happy side. "You always tell others you're working on it, yet you relapse into your usual personality...You gotta make the more expressive side work."

 _"I'm not perfect, ya know..."_ Naruto whispered to himself. "Enough about...my personality quirk, when am I doing the second part of the Rasengan?"

"We'll do that one later. Right now, I need you for something once we make it to Tanzaku Town."

"Like what?"

 **[Persona 3 OST - Mass Destruction]**

 **Unnamed Casino**

"What the hell...Pervy Sage..." Naruto's right eye twitched when he found himself gambling for information in Jiraiya's place. After winning the first round, Jiraiya got greedy and asked Naruto to continue gambling, telling him he'd continue the next part of his training if he did it for him. Right now, he was playing cho-han and, to the owner's dismay, the chunin's unnatural gambling instincts had him at a 49-win streak.

"Where did you find this kid..." asked the owner, Jiraiya telling him Naruto was a Konoha-born ninja, and his apprentice, putting his hands on the blond's shoulders as he told Naruto he was doing incredible.

 **"More like your secret gambling weapon..."**

"Final game. If you lose, all the money you've earned, along with the money you have, goes to us. If you win, you can keep the money you've won and take the money in my wallet as well. I'm going all-in on this! Someone's luck can change if you give it all you've got!"

 **[Music End]**

This would be a grave mistake for the owner as Naruto won the final game and left the casino with Jiraiya, a large bag of earnings in hand.

"Before you say anything, we're not going to Vegas." This bummed Jiraiya out, who tells Naruto he should reconsider. "You already make enough selling those books of yours, so we have no need to visit that place." Jiraiya could only sigh as he told Naruto he had a point.

"With all that gambling I did for you, it's time for you to tell me the second part of learning the Rasengan."

"Always getting down to it..." Jiraiya tossed the chunin a rubber ball, explaining how he needs to burst the ball's exterior. To Jiraiya's surprise, Naruto pops it as they were walking. "What the- How!?"

"I simply focused on a single point in my right palm while increasing the volume and density of the chakra I was producing, increasing its power until the rubber ball bursts," Naruto explains, surprising the sage.

"Geez, and I thought it'd take longer for you to figure it out..."

"Sorry..." Jiraiya assures the chunin he had nothing to apologize for.

"After all, you can't help but get the gist of things," Jiraiya adds, snapping his fingers. "just like that. University life is going to be a walk in the park for you. That means you'll have a lot of free time on your hands. Perhaps you can try working on that personality of yours."

"Probably...What's the third part of the Rasengan?" Jiraiya gives him a bag of balloons and tells him to combine the two lessons and make so the balloon doesn't pop. "I'm sure you can-"

"Pervy Sage?" Stopping, Jiraiya turns around and asks Naruto what was on his mind. "How about we take time to hang out? Take a break from my training. I can do the third step some other time. Maybe I can help you with your investigation, or...simply just explore this town, see what it has to offer."

"You just want to spend some quality time with your master, don't you?" asked a smiling Jiraiya. Naruto had an embarrassed and annoyed expression on his face as he told Jiraiya, "You have to make up for always having Kujou-senpai, Tatsuya, Haru, and Mikado-sensei watch over me while you focus on your writing and living a bachelor's life."

"A yes would've been a better answer, Naruto..."

 **[Naruto OST - Naruto's Daily Life]**

"How about we start off with some lunch, shall we?" Naruto and Jiraiya stop at a teppanyaki restaurant, Jiraiya ordering the best dishes for the chunin to enjoy, telling him he would grow to have a large appetite as he got stronger and as a result of having large ki reserves. As they waited for their meals to arrive, Jiraiya noticed some women eyeing him, gesturing him to come and sit with them, though Naruto looked him in the eye with a, "Don't even think about it" expression on his face.

Next, they visit a bookstore, Naruto's eyes sparkling with wonder as he explored the manga section, Jiraiya following his apprentice as he picked books he wanted to buy. Leaving him alone for a bit, Jiraiya decided to go to the Adults section and purchase a few erotica, noticing his **"Icha Icha Paradise"** book being displayed as the best selling in the store, pumping his fist in the air in victory as a weirded out Naruto looked on.

The two then went to a clothing shop, Naruto trying on several clothes, mainly hoodies, jeans, jackets, and shorts, gaining attention from the girls who happened to see him come out of the dressing room. After trying them on, Naruto felt unsatisfied with the clothes they had, exiting the shop without purchasing anything.

Finally, they entered a music store, where Naruto enjoyed listening to the Japanese version of **"Boy With Luv by BTS"** as Jiraiya tried out and failed at Guitar Hero, losing to a kid, who got a perfect score, much to his embarrassment. Seeing the kid act all arrogant, Naruto took it upon himself to avenging Jiraiya, beating the kid when they played **"Misery Business by Paramore"** at the highest difficulty and making said kid crying to his Mommy, the blond not feeling sorry about it when the Mom asked him to apologize.

 **[Music End]**

 **[Naruto OST - Evening]**

 **Unnamed Hot Springs**

"Hahhhhhhh..." Naruto had let out a huge sigh as he enjoyed the large open bath, Jiraiya doing the same.

"A nice dip in a hot spring is the best way to finish a night, huh Naruto?"

"Definitely..." Smiling to himself, Naruto thanked Jiraiya for taking time off his investigation just to hang out.

"You're welcome Naruto. I don't admit this or show it, but I enjoy hanging out with you from time to time. We should do this again, maybe when we go back to Japan." Naruto voiced his agreement with Jiraiya before they let out another blissful sigh.

"If I remember the information correctly, Tsunade is somewhere in this town?"

"Yeah, probably to win back the money she lost. I plan to search the casinos all around town before we lose her."

"I see..." The blond goes silent as he and Jiraiya hear women on the other side of the bamboo wall commenting on each other's bodies. Jiraiya, being the pervert he is, decides to go sneak a peek for "research purposes."

"Naruto, want to spend more time with your master and help me "gather more research" for my book?"

"No thanks, leave me out of it. I'm fine enjoying this hot spring." Naruto told him before Jiraiya says, "Suit yourself..."

 **[Music End]**

 **[Persona 4 OST - Reverie]**

"Before I do my "research", tell me why you decided to take a break today."

"It was simply to spend some quality time with you, Pervy Sage."

"I can tell there was more to it than just that. What is it? It's just me and you in here." Naruto stays silent for a bit as he looks up at the night sky.

"...You're already aware that I don't have a father to spend time with, not even a mother or older and younger siblings. The time I spent with Kureha...It was like I had a Mother to go home to and spend some time with, whether it was cooking, cleaning, or playing games. I don't admit this, because it sounds crazy, but...I pretty much see you as my Father. The Third and Iruka, I don't see them as father figures. I like hanging out with you despite your perverted personality, and I always look forward to when you don't have anything else going on."

"You see me as a Father, huh," said Jiraiya, never expecting to hear Naruto tell him that. "So you took a break just so you could experience how it feels to have a Father?"

"Mmm..." Naruto responds, nodding yes.

"You know, you really can be selfish...for all the good reasons, Naruto," Jiraiya tells him, satisfied by the chunin's honest answer. "To think you're the kid who always looked so serious and apathetic towards everything. In just a few months, you've changed a lot. You made the effort to."

"I have people like you, Hinata, Ryu, and Kureha to thank for it. You guys rubbed off on me. Perhaps I should buy Kureha something on the way back."

"Sounds good. Now, while you figure out what to get her, I'm going to do some "research" for my book!" While the toad sage peeps on the women bathing, Naruto closed his eyes and enjoyed the bath as he immersed himself in the water until only his hair, eyes, and nose were above the water level, wondering what to get the shrine maiden waiting for him at home. Before going back to his room to rest, Naruto spent two hours looking for a souvenir for the shrine maiden.

 **[Music End]**

 **The next day**

 **Tanzaku Town**

 **3:25 pm**

"Monster?"

"You two ought to run!" yelled a man Jiraiya questioned, who looked like he was ready to lose it. "A giant three-headed serpent just destroyed the castle in an instant!" As soon as the man ran away, Naruto and Jiraiya pick up the pace and head towards the castle. Once they arrived, they only saw a partially destroyed wall and a decimated castle. Looking around, Jiraiya noticed small pieces of snakeskin, confirming it to belong to Orochimaru's snake.

"Looks like we missed not only Tsunade but Orochimaru as well," said Jiraiya, getting up before telling Naruto they should go.

 **7:08 pm**

"This has gotten complicated," said Jiraiya, Naruto saying nothing as he focused on shaping a Rasengan inside a balloon he was holding in his right hand without breaking it, only to fail as he blows another balloon. "Not only did we miss Tsunade, but Orochimaru is also involved."

"Why is this Orochimaru after her?" asked Naruto.

"As you're aware, Tsunade is the greatest medical ninja in the nation. Her talent in medical ninjutsu is unparalleled, being able to identify ailments at a glance and treat conditions that other medical-nin would deem impossible to cure," Jiraiya explains, sounding happy as he talked about how great Tsunade was before getting serious.

"Given the damage The Third Hokage inflicted on him with the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, he thinks Tsunade can heal the necrosis in his arms caused by it."

"It shouldn't be possible to cure it. You need to debride the tissue or surgically remove the limbs once the necrosis sets. I'm not sure something like necrosis can be cured."

"That's true...But the impossible can be possible, and Tsunade is known to make things possible. At least...10% of the time." Stopping at a bar, Jiraiya tells Naruto they should grab dinner, the blond being against it since the restaurant was a drinking establishment.

 **Unnamed Bar**

"It serves food too. Like buffalo wings. You like buffalo wings, right?" Jiraiya asked Naruto as they enter the bar. The toad sage stops as he sees the woman he was looking for, who was with a woman with short black hair and a pig.

"Jiraiya?"

"Lord Jiraiya!?"

"Tsunade...Shizune..." Tsunade was a fair-skinned and large breasted woman with brown eyes and straight blonde hair that parts above her forehead. Her hair had shoulder-length bangs that frame her face and the rest reaches her lower-back in two loose ponytails. On her forehead was a violet diamond.

"What are you doing here!?" she asked, her face flushed from all the alcohol she was consuming.

"I should ask you the same thing. First, how about Naruto and I order us some food to eat?"

 **30 minutes later**

"I've been seeing a lot of familiar faces today," Tsunade told Jiraiya as Naruto and Shizune ate in silence.

"Orochimaru, right?" asked Jiraiya, Tsunade nodding her head yes. "...So what's up with you?"

"Nothing really, just the usual...What about you? What do you want from me? You definitely didn't come all the way here to sit down and reminisce about the old days."

"I'll lay it to you straight. The Hidden Leaf requests that you accept the title of Fifth Hokage." Naruto almost choked on his food as Shizune offered him some water to drink, letting out a huge gasp after gulping down the water. "Did you hear about Master Hiruzen?"

"Yeah," Tsunade answers as Shizune looked down, a sad expression on her face. "Told me he killed him...To think the third of us Sannin did it..."

"This Orochimaru is...a Sannin?" asked Naruto, Jiraiya answering with a yes before Tsunade asked who Naruto was.

"This here is Naruto Uzumaki. He's my apprentice."

"So he's the Nine-Tailed Fox's vessel?"

"Yeah...So! Do you accept the request?" To Jiraiya and Naruto's dismay, Tsunade declined the offer before taking a sip out of her sake cup. "Tsunade, you're the only possible choice for the Fifth Hokage. Also, there are two shinobi in our village who need your help."

"Again, I refuse," said Tsunade. "Had the Fourth not died so early, Hiruzen would've stayed alive in retirement. As a ninja, the Fourth's capacity was unparalleled, a true one-of-a-kind...Overflowing talent for jutsu and intelligence, socially popular...and good-looking, just like me...But even with all that going for him, he died prematurely...sacrificing his life for the sake of the Hidden Leaf...Life's not like money...To risk and throw it away so easily...is a fool's errand." Naruto looked bothered by the way Tsunade was talking about the Hokages as he listened on.

"They say both my grandfather, the First Hokage, and the Second Hokage wanted an end to hostilities more than anything. Yet, they died in vain for the village while still in the midst of pursuing their dreams." Jiraiya tells Tsunade had changed for the worse, the kunoichi telling him how time changes people.

"If a teetering geezer like Sarutobi-sensei tries to act youthful, of course, he's going to croak...The title of Hokage's a joke. Only a fool would-"

 **[Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Saga OST - すれちがう心]**

Before Tsunade could finish, she noticed the atmosphere changing. Looking at Naruto, her eyes widened as he glared at her, his ki slowly rising to the point where the whole bar began to shake, glass cracking and plates dropping.

 **"This power..."**

"I think you've had enough to drink. Also, I've had about enough of you bad-mouthing the Old Man and the Fourth..." Naruto told her, sounding calm but furious. "If I wasn't holding myself back, I'd slug you in the face and send you out of this bar..."

"Naruto, calm down," Jiraiya told him, the chunin's ki lowering until the shaking stopped.

"You have guts to say that to my face," said Tsunade, the blond woman telling Naruto they should go outside and settle things.

"Tsunade, come on, he's just a k-."

"Fine with me," Naruto told her, to Jiraiya's shock, and Shizune's unease. The pig in Shizune's arms only oinked as sweat pours down its face.

 **Outside**

"Despite how I might look, I was once counted among the Sannin," Tsunade told Naruto, sounding confident that she'll win the fight. "I don't need my full strength against a Ge-"

"Chunin," Naruto interrupts, correcting her. "I'm a Chunin..."

"Even so..." Raising her right pointing finger, she told him it would be enough to finish him as Jiraiya, Shizune, and the pig looked on.

"Are you sure you should be saying that while under the influence?"

"Just come at me with all you've got."

"Very well..." Right away, Naruto throws a powerful right punch, releasing a massive shockwave that travels fast and hits a surprised Tsunade in the stomach, the woman clutching it as she skids back a considerable distance away from him.

"Jiraiya...What...What have you been teaching your apprentice?" asked a wide-eyed Shizune.

"Naruto, just what has Ryu been teaching you?" Jiraiya said to himself as Tsunade recovered, Naruto appearing from above, ready to swing his left foot down on her. Tsunade jumps back as Naruto's foot makes contact with the ground, forming a large crater.

 **"How-"**

"That claim of only needing one finger to finish me off is full of shit..." Naruto told the woman, glaring at her as he immediately runs at her before launching himself forward, both knees in front of him. Tsunade puts her arms in front of her before the chunin's knees hit her in the face.

Naruto quickly transitions into a midair spin kick as Tsunade ducked to avoid it before preparing a right uppercut. Instead of sending the chunin flying, Tsunade, to her surprise, found her fist stopped by Naruto's left hand, the blond using ki to cushion the blow as he stood his ground.

"I can handle insults towards me since I know they're not true. But when you talk bad about the Hokages who willingly gave their lives for the village, and those who dream of being Hokage...That's the worst thing you can tell someone," he told her.

 **[Music End]**

 **[Ao no Exorcist: Kyoto Saga OST - Turn on Your Heart Light (0:49 - 1:44)(2:20 - 2:56)]**

Tsunade looking shocked by what he said as he formed a Rasengan in his right hand, earning a surprised expression from Jiraiya and Shizune's faces as he thrusts his left hand forward. Since it was incomplete, it only blew her away from him, the woman landing on her back.

"That boy...He just..." Shizune couldn't believe her eyes when a kid the same age as Tsunade's late younger brother, Nawaki, bested Tsunade. Not only that, the thing he said, "I can handle insults towards me, since I know they're not true. But when you talk bad about the Hokages who willingly gave their lives for the village, and those who dream of being Hokage...That's the worst thing you can tell someone." Those were the same words Tsunade said to enemy ninjas who insulted Nawaki and the Hokages.

 **"It's incomplete, but Naruto is close..."** Jiraiya thought to himself.

"You...That technique..."

"I don't know what it is that made you be this way, but whatever the cause of it is...Drowning yourself in gambling and booze is no way to go about the rest of your life...The Hidden Leaf needs a Fifth Hokage, and you're the only one who can fill that spot..."

 **[Music End]**

 **"This boy..."** After he told her what was on his mind, Naruto's serious expression turns into one of embarrassment as his eyes focused on her chest. Looking down, to Tsunade's embarrassment, the Rasengan destroyed the blue sash keeping her grey mesh shirt together, exposing her breasts.

 _"Hu-...Huge..."_ Naruto whispered to himself as Jiraiya had blood dripping from his nostrils, a happy and perverted smile on his face. After screaming at the top of her lungs, she was allowed to punch Naruto in the face for exposing her breasts, Jiraiya receiving a huge beating after before Shizune gave her her kimono to cover the blonde woman.

"For a Chunin, you are very capable," Tsunade told Naruto, who was rubbing the bump on his left cheek, noting how he never expected Tsunade to be that strong.

"Best believe it, runt...Aside from that...Jiraiya, you're teaching him the Rasengan, aren't you?" Jiraiya, clutching his chest in pain from the beating he received, told her, "I am his mentor."

"Hmph, playing mighty mentor by teaching him something like that?"

"As you already know, he only hit you with an incomplete version of the Rasengan," Jiraiya told his friend. "Give him about a week and I bet he can master it."

"Really..." Turning to Naruto, she asked him if he was confident in mastering the Rasengan within seven days.

"If it means that you'll come back with us to the Hidden Leaf, then I am willing to accomplish it," said Naruto.

"Alright, if you master it before the deadline, I'll come back to the village. Also, I'll give you my necklace." Shizune's eyes widened when the blonde woman wagered the First Hokage's Necklace.

"Lady Tsunade!? B...But that's...!"

"Very well, and if I don't master it, not only do we leave you alone, I'll even throw down my wallet," Naruto told her, taking the frog-shaped walled out and showing how fat it was.

"Very arrogant, are we?"

"Not arrogant, just confident," Naruto tells her.

"Wow Naruto, your whole wallet, huh?" said Jiraiya, having healed his own injuries as they were talking. "Aren't you being risky...Wagers aside, Tsunade...Won't you come drinking a bit with me? For old time's sake..." Tsunade looked at Jiraiya with a suspicious expression on her face as the toad sage told Shizune to take Naruto and look for a place for them to stay in.

"Before we go, I will need a new sash..."

 **1 hour later**

 **Tanzaku Lodgings**

 **Naruto's Room**

Quietly, Naruto listened to music while training with a balloon in his right hand. After bursting his 20th balloon, he sighed before rummaging his bag for a new one. Pulling a new balloon out, he stops when he hears a knock on his door, hearing Shizune's voice calling for him. Pausing his music, Naruto gets up to open it for her.

"You need something?"

"There's something I'd like to share with you." Naruto raised a brow as he allowed her inside his room, the woman bringing her pig in as well.

"Does that pig have a name?" Shizune tells him it was Tonton, and that the pig was a girl. "I see..." Closing the door, he asked the woman what she needed to tell him.

"I want to tell you about Lady Tsunade, and about the necklace. Lady Tsunade...She wasn't like that at all, long ago...She was kind and compassionate, and she loved the Hidden Leaf. But then...she changed...all because of that day."

"What do you mean that day?" asked a curious Naruto, Shizune's face turning serious when she told him, "The day she lost everything...Dreams...Love...even Hope itself." Naruto's eyes narrowed as he listened on.

"All that remained was the necklace, loaded with memories. The necklace is as precious to Lady Tsunade as her own life...It's not something she'd easily hand over on a wager...You see, it only acknowledges Lady Tsunade...If anyone else tries to wear it...they all eventually die." Shizune goes on to explain how Tsunade lost her younger brother, Nawaki, and her lover Dan, who was Shizune's uncle. "Please understand, Naruto...Since that day, she's...been torn."

"...First off, "That day" would mean that all of that happened within that day. All of that happened in several other days," Naruto told Shizune, who looked flabbergasted by his response to hearing Tsunade's sad story. "Also, if I don't finish mastering the Rasengan, then Pervy Sage and I fail our mission, and I'm not willing to go back empty-handed, death necklace or not."

"Are you crazy?" asked Shizune. "If you do this, and you succeed, you'll die if you wear that necklace."

"I don't really care," he told her, much to Shizune's surprise. "Is dying that scary to you?"

"How...can you say that?"

"I've always lived my life knowing I'd die someday, whether it was an early one or not. Everybody goes through life that way. It's sad, and it hurts to know that, as your life fades, you leave people who love you behind. But...If I die, necklace on or not...At least I die doing something for the village and for those I love than nothing at all." Shizune's eyes widened when Naruto gave her his answer before getting up to leave.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go train..." As the days went by, Naruto focused on mastering the Rasengan. Whenever he was hungry, he'd hunt for edible insects, along with the occasional fish and deer as Jiraiya hung out with Tsunade, Shizune coming by sometimes to check up on him, amazed by how driven the blond was.

 **"What did you go through to have that fire in your eyes?"** Shizune wondered as she watched him train on the fourth day. On the sixth day, when she arrived to oversee his training, Shizune found Naruto had collapsed from exhaustion. After checking to make sure he was still breathing, Shizune dragged him back to the lodgings and tuck him in, just as Tsunade arrived, Jiraiya not with her for reasons unknown.

 **1 Day Before The** **Deadline**

 **Night**

"He's severely exhausted...He must've been going on without much sleep, perhaps none at all," said Tsunade. "This boy's right palm has been burned by his chakra...he probably won't wake up until the day after tomorrow. I'm surprised he went through that much, just for a silly bet."

"Lady...Tsunade, please don't go tomorrow," Shizune told the blonde woman, who remained silent. "Don't be silent! Please say something!" Even after yelling at her, Shizune received no response from her. "If you insist on going..."

"What would you do about it?" Tsunade asked her.

"Even in exchange for my life...I would...stop you..." Without saying a word, Tsunade knocks her out with a punch to the stomach before leaving through the front door.

 **Morning**

"Hey, wake up...Shizune..." Naruto pokes Shizune's right cheek with his right pointing finger as the latter slowly opened her eyes. Abruptly getting up, she asked Naruto what today was.

"Monday." This surprised the woman, who asked Naruto how he was able to stand. "I recover very fast. I mean, I once went through two weeks of training, and only needed a good night's sleep to recover so..."

"Two weeks?"

"Yeah, crazy huh? But enough of me, where's Granny Tsunade?"

"Granny?" Her eyes widening, Shizune quickly heads for the window, telling Naruto to stay put as she opened it, a kunai flying in front of her, embedding itself into a wooden beam. Turning to her left, she sees a heavily breathing Jiraiya resting against the building's exterior.

"Tsunade drugged my drink," he told her. "I can't call up my chakra properly, and my body's so numb, I can't even hold chopsticks right..." Turning to Naruto, he told him they needed to go after Tsunade, Naruto nodding his head as he picked up Tonton. As they made their way to the meeting place, it being the destroyed remains of Tanzaku Castle, Jiraiya asked Shizune what she and Tsunade talked with Orochimaru about.

"...Sorry. I wanted to trust Lady Tsunade...That's why I didn't speak up sooner. "But now..." After revealing the deal Orochimaru offered to Tsunade, Jiraiya wonders if he'll have to kill Tsunade to protect the Hidden Leaf.

 **Tanzaku Castle (Destroyed)**

Arriving at the scene, the four find the area further destroyed, Jiraiya and Shizune knowing right away that Tsunade was the cause, meaning she refused Orochimaru's offer, to their relief. Sniffing the area, Tonton picks up Tsunade's scent as the three followed the pig's nose, picking up speed. Knowing the danger she was in, Jiraiya tells Naruto to go on ahead, who nods as he tossed the pig to the toad sage before disappearing in a flash, to Shizune's shock.

"Jiraiya, what sort of training have you been putting your apprentice through?"

"It's complicated..."

 **Unnamed Plains**

Appearing in the nick of time as Kabuto braced himself to fight Tsunade, Naruto knocks him on his ass with a dropkick, surprising Orochimaru and Tsunade.

"You?"

"That was a bad move drugging Pervy Sage like that..." Naruto told the blond woman as he glared at Kabuto. "So that pale Slytherin across from us is Orochimaru..." Turning his attention towards Kabuto, he voiced how he didn't expect Kabuto to betray the Hidden Leaf, just as Shizune, Jiraiya, and Tonton arrived. "To think you were the one Kasumi was looking for."

"Naruto...I never expected to run into you here, of all places."

"Out of the way, he's mine!" yelled Tsunade, rushing past the blond chunin and readying her right fist as Jiraiya told her to stop, to no avail. Once Kabuto slits his own right wrist, spraying some of his blood on her, Tsunade froze in place, her fear of blood taking over her before she felt Kabuto's left fist connect to her face, sending her flying back, Shizune catching her. "I was sent to the Hidden Leaf to collect info on you, Sasuke, and other ninjas. I must say, I never expected you would become a chunin. Well, I DID see it coming, looking over your stats. It's very abnormal...Not only are you different from Sasuke, but you're also different from everyone around you."

"What's your point?" asked Naruto.

"Someone of your talent has no need to stay in a village like that," Kabuto told him as Naruto listened on. "One filled with people who constantly test your patience. A village that hates you, and wants nothing to do with you. Come with us, with Orochimaru. He can put someone of your talents into good use."

"...You must be an idiot if you think I'd side with someone who killed the Old Man, one of the few I respected," Naruto told Kabuto. "Also, I'm more of a Hufflepuff than a Slytherin."

"If that's your answer, then you need to die before you become a real nuisance..." Right after he said that Kabuto rushed at Naruto, who does the same. With the blood flowing from the cut on his right wrist, he sprays it in Naruto's eyes before going in for a strike with the kunai in his left hand. Kabuto's hand is caught by Naruto's right hand, the latter opening his eyes, filled with anger.

"A dirty tactic like that won't stop me from kicking your ass...Kabuto." After he said that, Naruto applied pressure to his hand, snapping Kabuto's forearm bones in two, earning a scream from the bespectacled Sound Ninja before he cracks his chest bone with a kick, knocking him towards Orochimaru.

 **"He's a lot different than when I fought him during the exams..."** Orochimaru notes, aware of the blond's newly-acquired strength after seeing him fight in the Chunin Exam Finals.

"Pervy Sage, you mind if I take on Orochimaru's lab assistant?"

"Go on ahead," Jiraiya told him as Orochimaru orders Kabuto to help him use the summoning technique, Jiraiya preparing to use summoning as well. While Orochimaru and Kabuto summoned two snakes, Jiraiya summoned two small toads, one orange, the other yellow, earning a weirded out look from Naruto, who told him, "Pervy Sage, you're embarrassing yourself in front of your former friend."

"I KNOW THAT!" yelled Jiraiya. "I'm just not completely here, you know!? Tsunade drugged me for crying out loud!" he explained to Naruto, who was now focused on the small toads.

"Hey Gamakichi, Gamatatsu."

"Been over three years, Naruto," said the orange toad known as Gamakichi, Naruto simply nodding with a smile, just as Orochimaru's snakes interrupted the awkwardness Jiraiya caused, forcing Jiraiya to jump back as Shizune did the same, carrying Tsunade, while Naruto grabbed the two toads and Tonton and held them in his arms before jumping back. When one of the two snakes were about to devour him and the toads, Naruto dodged in mid-air before hitting it in the face with his right foot, knocking it down before Jiraiya used Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld to ensnare the snake and prevent it from escaping. Since Jiraiya was still under the influence of Tsunade's drug, he couldn't completely sink it. While the toad sage fought Orochimaru atop the latter's remaining snake, Naruto was forced to go on the defensive as he avoided Kabuto's assault while trying to find the right time to set the animals down.

"To attack me while my arms are full...You must be scared of me if you're coming at me like this," Naruto mocked, Kabuto clenching his teeth in annoyance as he forms his chakra into small, sharp blades in his hands. Ducking a swipe from his right hand Naruto headbutts him in the face before throwing Tonton at him, butt-first, the pig farting in his face before the blond caught her and performed a spin kick on him.

"Damn you, Naruto!" yelled Kabuto.

"What? Afraid you might've contracted swine flu from that?" Naruto joked as he sets the animals down next to Shizune.

"What the hell? Since when are you the one to crack jokes!?" an annoyed Kabuto shouts.

"I guess some people rubbed off on me," said Naruto.

"You? A demon!? There's no way a demon like you would ever have anyone besides yourself! An abomination like you! Destined to be alone! A weapon for the Hidden Leaf!" As Kabuto tried to land a hit on him, Naruto silently parried his attacks, countering with quick and hard strikes.

"Say what you want about me. Demon...Abomination...Weapon...I know I am none of those," he told him, catching Kabuto's arms before his chakra scalpels could reach him, kneeing him in the stomach and throwing him over his shoulder. "Back before this battle, before the Chunin Exams, before returning to the village, before I left it over 4 years ago, I always wondered what I am, and who I am supposed to be. But with the right people, the right...friends, I started changing, discovering myself more and more..."

Avoiding a left knife-hand strike by moving to the side, Naruto sweeps him off his feet with a kick before punching him in the face, knocking him onto the grass hard. As Naruto beats on Kabuto, Orochimaru, still fighting Jiraiya, wondered out loud how someone with no kekkai-genkai like the Sharingan was besting Kabuto, and questioning what made Naruto so special.

"Unlike Sasuke Uchiha, someone naturally gifted with the Sharingan, Naruto has no eye powers that make him special. He started off with nothing, with no one to help him. He trained and trained all by himself, with masters like yours truly helping him refine the skills he learned himself, adding in ones he lacked. He got his ass kicked several times during training by a girl he used to love, until he finally won a match, and suffered a constant losing streak to a very talented magician. On and on they'd kick him down, yet he always got back up. While you see Ninjas as one who wields techniques, a ninja is truly one who endures, and Naruto has had to endure so much in his life, all to find out who he is on his own terms! A never-ending journey of an enduring ninja!"

"You and me, we're both skilled shinobi, no denying that...Yet the only thing that separates me from you is this...I follow no one's path but the one I set for myself, with a clear knowledge of who I am and who I want to be, while you align yourself with someone with power and follow their examples and not your own. I am Naruto Uzumaki, Ninja of the Hidden Leaf. That is who I am, and I'm not letting you, or Orochimaru, bring any harm to it!" What Naruto said to Kabuto, mainly the part about knowing who he is, struck a nerve as he blindly ran at Naruto, who prepares a mastered Rasengan in his right hand, to Tsunade and Shizune's surprise, striking Kabuto square in the stomach with it. With a powerful roar to go with it, the Rasengan grinds into Kabuto's chest before it propels the Sound-nin towards a boulder, destroying it upon impact.

"Bet...won," Naruto said to himself before suddenly spitting out blood. **"What..."**

"Finally...It was a huge risk, but I managed to land in a good hit," said Kabuto, having somehow survived the Rasengan.

"A hit from that level of technique?" said Tsunade, having a look of disbelief as Naruto's breathing starts to feel heavy.

"I gathered chakra in my stomach. Even before it hit me, I was already healing. My ability to activate cells...To reproduce them...At least you can die knowing who you are, Naruto." Following this, Kabuto collapsed, having sustained too much damage to continue fighting. Quickly, Shizune and Tsunade check on Naruto's heartbeat, Tsunade concluding that Kabuto had cut off the blond's heart's keirakukei, the chakra network he used to heal himself with from the power of the Nine-Tailed Fox, with a chakra scalpel.

"It's an induced arrhythmia," said Tsunade, sounding panicked as she and Shizune try their best to save his life, the blonde woman telling Naruto not to die, recalling how Nawaki and Dan lost their lives. She wasn't going to let it happen again. Finally, Naruto lets out a breath, surprising Tsunade and Shizune.

 _"Pervy Sage was right...you CAN make the impossible...possible..."_ he told her, in a weak voice, snickering before closing his eyes to rest. This miracle healing Tsunade did for Naruto shocked Kabuto. Tsunade had saved the blond's life, a life he was close to ending. Taking off her necklace, she puts it around Naruto's neck, telling him, "A deal's a deal...Whatever path you take...No matter how big the odds are stacked against you...always move forward..."

 **"That boy...He'll be trouble if he falls into the Akatsuki's hands...I MUST KILL HIM!"** Orochimaru, turning to where Naruto was, launched himself towards him as Jiraiya intercepts the former Sannin. With his tongue Orochimaru ensnared Jiraiya's left leg and threw him aside, incapacitating the Toad Sage before a snake came out of his mouth, opening its mouth to reveal the Kusanagi sword. Seeing this, Tsunade pushed Shizune out of the way before taking the hit meant for Naruto, getting stabbed in the chest.

"Tsunade...You're the only one I would have spared...If I leave this one alive, everything will fall apart. Stay out of my way," Orochimaru told his former teammate, who refuses.

"I'll protect him, no matter what..."

"Risking everything to protect some brat...even when you're trembling from your fear of blood...Why?"

"I'm doing this...to protect...my home...The Hidden Leaf..." she told him, defiance in her eyes as she glared at Orochimaru. "From here on out, I too will put my life on the line!" After saying that, her trembling stopped, surprising the two Sound-nins as the blonde woman socked Orochimaru in the face with a pull-powered punch, knocking him away from Naruto. "Not only as Tsunade Senju, but as the Hidden Leaf's Fifth Hokage!"

"Lady Tsunade..."

 **"Yin Seal: Release!"** Markings start appearing from the seal on Tsunade's forehead as her wounds start healing at a rapid rate, producing steam.

"What technique is that?" asked Orochimaru, viewing it for the first time.

"It's a regeneration technique, one I've been storing up chakra for many years. Now..." Narrowing her eyes, she asked Orochimaru how unlucky he was feeling now as Jiraiya got up, the effects of the woman's drug finally out of his system.

The fight was one of brutality. Tsunade would get slashed at and stabbed by Orochimaru's blade, only to heal her injuries in an instant. In retaliation, Tsunade ended up breaking almost half of the former Sannin's bones, dislocating his jaw, and breaking his back over her knee. Despite those injuries, Orochimaru was still breathing. Before she could finish him, her Yin Seal had reached its limit. Knowing they'd lose if they continued to fight Tsunade, even in her near-tired state, Kabuto took Orochimaru and retreated.

 **The next day**

 **Kanzaku Lodgings**

Opening his eyes, Naruto was met with a curious Tonton, who oinked at him.

"Hey Little Pig..." said Naruto, rising up before stretching his arms and cracking his neck, just as the adults entered the room.

"Well, look who finally woke up!" said a smiling Jiraiya, Shizune noting how bizarre Naruto's healing was.

"I guess you can call me Wolverine," Naruto joked, Shizune unaware of who that was. "Seriously? You need to read some comics."

"Young kid joke aside, we have some good news."

 **Unnamed Bar**

"Fifth Hokage huh?" Naruto said to himself as he and the others ate. "Compared to the Old Man, she's brash and kind of selfish. Also, she throws money around like some guy at a strip club, and she's sneaky and...You sure she can lead the Hidden Leaf? I'm kind of worried for its economy."

"Naruto?" Tsunade forced a smiled as one of her brows twitched. "Let's go outside shall we?" This earned a sigh from Jiraiya, who told himself, "Naruto's in for it now..."

 **Outside**

"Unlike last time, I'm very sober and in control of myself. Knowing how strong you are...I'm thinking...I only need my right pointing finger to win." Naruto only smiled as he asked her if she was truly sure. Right away, Tsunade, in full control of herself, pulls a Naruto and appears behind him, to his surprise.

"Oh, I'm very sure this time around."

 **"She-"** Turning around, Naruto goes for a kick, only for Tsunade to duck it before swinging her right pointing finger upward, removing Naruto's headband, and leaving him open. As Naruto fell back, Tsunade, a smile on her face, caught him by his right wrist before pulling him towards her, kissing him on the forehead, earning a blush from the blond chunin.

"Become a great ninja, okay, Naruto Uzumaki?" With a small smile, Naruto promised her, just as he caught his headband as it fell back down.

 **Four Days Later**

 **Hidden Leaf Village**

 **Front Gate**

Arriving at the front, Naruto, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Shizune were met with a large crowd of people welcoming them home, surprising the former as they congratulated them for finding the next Hokage and bringing her home safe. To Tsunade's surprise, Naruto did not react to the praises he was receiving.

"You could at least smile, Naruto," said Jiraiya, the blond raising a brow at this.

 **"So this is the personality problem Jiraiya told me about..."** Tsunade wondered, though she figured Naruto would one day show the whole village his smile when he was ready. Perhaps once she assumes office, the first thing she would do would be to have Naruto smile more. Nearing the Hokage Residence, Naruto saw Kureha waiting for him with Jo.

"Kureha!?"

"Welcome home, Naruto!" she told him, running over to wrap her arms around him in a hug.

"I'm home...Kureha, can you stop, please? You're embarrassing me in front of the adults..." he told her, his face flushed, further surprising Tsunade. "Just let me hold you like this for a few more seconds. I've missed you..."

"...Very well," said Naruto, hugging her back. "I've missed you too, Kureha."

 **Hokage Residence**

 **Roof**

To Naruto's annoyance, Danzo, Homura, and Koharu were there as he stood with Jiraiya, Tsunade, Shizune (with Tonton in hand), Jo, and Kureha. Jonins Genma and Aoba were also present.

"I can't believe you talked her into it..." Danzo told Jiraiya, sounding a bit displeased, Naruto, Jo, and Kureha being the only ones who noticed it.

"ALL IT TOOK WAS A FEW WORDS FROM YOURS TRULY WAHAHAHA!"

"I helped too, ya know," said Naruto, Kureha putting an assured hand on his left shoulder.

"We must call our daimyo immediately," said Koharu, adding how they needed to hold a celebration for her appointment as the Fifth Hokage before telling the two Jonins to relay the message to the rest of the villagers.

"Well, if you're all done with her, there are three people at the hospital who need Granny Tsunade."

"Granny?" asked Kureha, tilting her head to the right in a cute manner.

 **ED1: Self-Inflicted Achromatic (自傷無色)(Cover) by Raon Lee**

* * *

 **I would've made this a two-parter, but I figured, best to take care of the whole search for Tsunade thing right away. We've already seen the fight Tsunade and Jiraiya have with Orochimaru, so I skipped it.**

 **With Naruto throwing Tonton at Kabuto, I wanted to be creative with how Naruto fought. He can be fierce and strategic, or random with some comedic results. This transition was a way to show Naruto slowly changing how he approached some scenarios in combat.**

 **The Rasengan finally makes his appearance. Between Naruto of the 1st Universe, that being the original Naruto, and Naruto of the 458th Universe, the latter is more likely to get past more of the steps required to mastering it, the third part being far more difficult, due to the power he possessed. It's not like the Air Grenade. The Rasengan is a powerful jutsu if Naruto is struggling with the last part of mastering it.**

 **Yes, Naruto in the 458th Universe can use it one-handed, without the need for clones.**

 **The fight between Naruto and Kisame, this Naruto's not an idiot. He won't open the door to some strangers. If there are two S-Ranked Criminals behind a door between them and him, he's going to attack first. The part with the foam is based on Batman: Endgame, where Batman incapacitated Aquaman. With Kisame, the same trick would work. He does look like a fish out of water. If Naruto can't overwhelm his enemies with strength, he can do it in other ways.**

 **The part where Naruto voiced how he knows who he is and the path he's walking, with Kabuto being angry about it is something to remember. For those unaware, Kabuto suffers an identity crisis, being forced to assume an identity not his during his time as a spy. However, this would lead him to forget who the real Kabuto is, Orochimaru telling him to follow his example, and he did. Naruto telling him all that triggered some bad memories of his life, and making him recall how he doesn't know the real him.**

 **Going back to the fight, this Naruto is kicking his ass. He's not naive or out of his league. His strength is greater than Kabuto's. He was only able to almost kill Naruto by getting close and strike while Naruto was ramming a Rasengan into his stomach.**

 **Before you say anything, an inebriated Tsunade, Naruto can best, since she's not herself, and she doesn't have much control. Take away the booze and her fear of blood, she's going to win that fight with Naruto. She's a Sannin after all. Jiraiya and Orochimaru as well.**

 **With Naruto not wanting to become Hokage, I had to tweak so many things about the talk between Naruto and Drunk Tsunade. I am sure I did pretty good with it. Maybe decent. No room to complain, I guess.**

 **Naruto telling Shizune doesn't really care if he dies, he really doesn't. He's pretty fearless when it comes to risking his life to protect others and rise to the occasion. He will, however, live for others' sake, though he has yet to even come across someone who'll tell him that. Will probably be in Part II.**

 **One part I wanted but decided not to put in was going to be during the near-death experience Naruto had. Before he was going to pass out, and after Kabuto explained how he survived the Rasengan, I was going to have Naruto call Kabuto a nerd, which would serve to piss off Kabuto, finding Naruto's new approach on combat and the situation to be annoying and...well...unbearable.**

 **Regarding Naruto's journey towards becoming who Naruto Uzumaki is and wants to be, what he's been experiencing from the first chapter to now would be considered the first step towards this. Even when Parts I, II, and II are done, that journey of life and living is still going, something we all go though every day until we finally feel fulfilled.**

 **I think the next chapter, Naruto will be a bit more expressive with his facial expressions, his emotions, his circle of people, and the people he's facing. He won't be all-serious, and a bit more talkative. I may have some people in his circle taking notice.**

 **Now for the OP and ED. They were chosen mainly for the relatability of both songs and Naruto. Also, the ED, while spectacular, felt it was wasted in the "Magi's Grandson". I love Isekais, I do, but "Magi's Grandson" felt rushed, flat, and lacking in some areas. If it were me, I'd give it to an anime more deserving of it that matched and resonated with the song. I don't know which though.**


	10. Chapter 10

**OP1: Overwhelming Vivid Days by Nanami Yoshi**

 **Hokage Residence**

"Naruto, hey!" Turning around, Naruto sees Shikamaru and his father, Shikaku, approaching, greeting the two before his friend asked him if he just got back, nodding his head yes.

"Back from a mission?" he asked Shikamaru, who told him he did, and that he was going to file a report to Jo. "Oh, well starting today, the new Hokage's going to be in charge."

"New Hokage?"

"Yeah, just came back from bringing her back here." Shikamaru look surprised when Naruto revealed that the village's new Hokage was a woman. "Right now, she should be coming down to go to the hospital. You know, to help Sasuke, Kakashi-sensei, and Lee."

"A female Hokage? I'm not keen on that."

"Don't let her catch you saying that."

"Saying what Naruto?" asked Tsunade, having returned from talking with the Elders with Shizune and Jiraiya. Naruto tells her it was nothing before saying, "We should go. I'm sure Sasuke and Kakashi-sensei are done with La La Land."

 **Hidden Leaf Hospital**

After healing Sasuke, Tsunade told her he should wake up first thing in the morning tomorrow. This brought Sakura to tears as she hugged Sasuke, Naruto watching in silence. With the Uchiha in good hands, he prepared to leave, Tsunade asking him where he was going.

"I'm hungry," he told her, adding how he was meeting with Iruka to have ramen. "Don't forget Kakashi and Lee, Grandma Tsunade..."

"Of course, also, I'm not your grandma."

"Yes, you are. And since you're the new Hokage, you're also the village's grandma so...better take good care of everyone." Tsunade only smiled as she called the blond a smart ass.

 **Ramen Ichiraku**

 **38 bowls later**

"I feel pretty good after that near-death experience," Naruto finished, having told Iruka his overall mission finding Tsunade and bringing her to the village.

"Other than being relieved that you're okay and proud that you're shaping up to be a splendid ninja, I have some good news to tell you."

"Really?" Asking what the good news was, Naruto's eyes widened when Iruka told him he got promoted to Jonin. "You're...a Jonin?"

"Yeah."

"But you always liked teaching the students at the Academy. What made you decide to take the promotion?" Naruto asked.

"The Third Hokage had always wanted to promote me to Jonin. I don't look like it now, but I've been working on myself ever since you left the village, and I gave it some thought after seeing you working so hard on changing yourself."

"Wow...That's...a lot to absorb," Naruto admits, adding how he'll need another bowl of ramen to handle the news. "I am happy for you. You deserve that promotion."

"Who knows, maybe we can go on a mission together." Naruto smiles as he told Iruka, "Maybe..."

 **Village Front Gate**

After he finished eating with Iruka, Naruto met up with Kureha, who was seeing Jo and Ryu off, the latter two preparing to go back to their village.

"See you later Naruto. Continue to get stronger," Ryu told Naruto, the blond smiling as he nods yes to his master. Turning towards Kureha, he told her to watch herself.

"Don't worry about me Ryu, I can handle myself very well. Naruto included."

"True, but I can't help but worry," Ryu told his friend. Kureha assures him once more that the two of them would be fine. "Alright."

"Ryu, let's go." Nodding to his father, he and Jo teleported back to the Hayabusa Clan Village.

"Have any plans tonight, Naruto?" Kureha asked the blond as they turned around and made their way to the latter's house.

"Don't know, but I'm sure that something will come up," he responds. "...Kureha, you know I'll be leaving in a month, right?"

"Of course. You're going to go study in America for about two or three years."

"...Do you think you can...come with me and Jiraiya?" Kureha looked surprised as Naruto hid his blushing face.

"You really are a Mama's Boy," said a smiling Kureha. "...As much as I'd love to take up on that offer of yours, I cannot. I have responsibilities as a shrine maiden to my village. I can't always trust Momiji to handle things, not that I doubt her or anything. I CAN, however, try to make time to visit you often. At best I can manage once a month, maybe more during the holidays, and your birthday. Is that okay?"

"Yeah!" said a happy Naruto, surprising Kureha. Turning away in embarrassment, he told her, "Of course. I can pay for your tickets and pick you up at the airport, or you can just...you know...take a cab or taxi to UCLA..."

"You're expressing more emotions than usual. You tend to revert back to old habits, but I can see the difference between you from three months ago and now."

"I guess I'm off to a good start...Before I forget, on the way back, I got something for you..."

"For me?" Rummaging through his left jacket pocket, Naruto takes out a rectangular ruby and hands it to her. Looking at it, Kureha saw what seemed to be a laser-engraved photo of her and Naruto during one of their adventures in Japan inside it. The shrine maiden told the blond how beautiful it was.

"On the way back I saw this shop that taught customers how to engrave photos into jewelry using chakra so...that was the result." When asked how much it was, Naruto told her it wasn't cheap, lessons included.

"Naruto!" The blond chunin and Kureha stopped in their tracks as they turn around to see Shikamaru and Choji approach them, telling him they were planning a guy's night, wanting the blond to come.

"Me, Choji, Kiba, Neji, and Lee are coming too."

"A guy's night huh. Sounds good," he told Shikamaru. Turning to Kureha, he told her he was going to hang with the other boys.

"Of course. Have fun." As Kureha left Naruto to go home, Shikamaru told Choji, "Kureha smells nice today," the Akimichi boy nodding his head in approval. Hearing this, Naruto, going full yandere, turns his attention towards them, his head tilted to the right, and says, **_"Shikamaru, do you and Choji want to fight me?"_** This freaks the boys out.

 **"Where did this come from!?"** Shikamaru and Choji wondered.

 **Konoha Streets**

"Sakura." Turning around, Sakura turns her attention towards Ino and Tenten as they approach her. "You have any plans right now?"

"No, not really. I was just going to go home. Why?"

"Let's go have ourselves a girl's night!" Ino responds.

"Now?"

"Yeah."

"We've been fairly occupied with missions, we haven't had time to unwind," Tenten adds. "With Tsunade filling the role as the new Hokage, we can finally have a little break before we're sent on another mission."

"...We have been very busy lately...Hinata's not back from her mission?" Ino tells her she wasn't, adding they'll invite her for the next one.

 **Bar-B-Q**

 **Night**

"What kind of person orders swordfish and salmon at a barbecue place?" Choji asked Naruto.

"The kind of person who likes fish," Naruto tells him as the others look over the menu and the server waited for Naruto to finish ordering. "I like beef and chicken, but my favorite meats are fish. Salmon, Catfish, Tuna, Yellowtail, you get the picture." Turning towards the server, the blond orders sliced onions, carrots, and button mushrooms.

"You're ordering veggies too!?" yelled Choji, Shikamaru telling him to calm down.

"It's not like you have to eat them," Shikamaru adds. "Besides, since Naruto and I are chunin, meaning we're your superiors, we're paying for all this, meaning Naruto can order all the veggies he wants."

"Thank you, Shikamaru," said Naruto, sounding grateful.

"Don't remind me that you two are Chunin," said Kiba, sounding annoyed, "Just you two wait! Once I'm Chunin, I'm paying for everyone for the next guys' night!" he vowed.

"Oh, cool, can't wait for that day to arrive," Naruto responds, further annoying Kiba, Shikamaru adding on to it by saying, "Puts my wallet at ease." After ordering, Naruto decides to start a conversation with Lee, asking him, "While we wait, I want to know Lee, are you planning to take the surgery?"

"Oh, yes! I am!" he told Naruto. "Lady Tsunade told me earlier that I had a 50% chance of surviving, and it really scared me, even Guy-sensei. But, she managed to bump it up to 58% and tell me about it, which made me happy. I'm starting it first thing tomorrow."

"That's good to hear, Lee," said Naruto. "Perhaps we can spar some time after you've had time to recover from the surgery."

"I would very much like that, Naruto! I've been meaning to fight you!"

"Likewise."

 **Hidden Leaf Hot Springs**

"Awww, I can just melt away in these waters..." said Tenten, enjoying the warm water as it washed away her muscle fatigue, Sakura and Tenten watching her.

"Ino, have your breasts gotten bigger?" asked Sakura, Ino teasing her by asking, "Jealous?"

"What!? No...Not at all!" asked a blushing Sakura.

"I don't know, I mean, you sometimes look at other girls' breasts. Hinata's, Kurenai-sensei's, An-"

"Okay, let's talk about something else!" Sakura interrupts Tenten. "How's it with Neji!?"

"Neji and I have never been better," she told the pink-haired girl. "Neji is a very sweet romantic. Every single one of our dates, he cooks something special for us at his place. He listens to me, likes the same movies I watch, and showers me with kisses, though only when no one's looking. On missions, he worries for me. He even gives me great back massages."

"He does those?" asked Ino, sounding a bit jealous that Tenten has someone who does all that for her.

 **Bar-B-Q**

"Thanks for the dating tips, especially the one about stress-relieving massages."

"No problem Neji."

"Wait, Naruto gives you dating and relationship advice?" asked a surprised Choji, talking as he ate his food.

"You don't have a girlfriend, yet you give helpful tips?" said a confused Shikamaru. Naruto tells the boys he read a lot of books about dating and tips for healthy relationships.

"I had a lot of free time after training. Whenever I wasn't doing it, Kujou-senpai hands me books to read, some of them being about this particular subject."

"Who is this Kujou-senpai you're always talking about?" asked Kiba. "We've never even met the girl, and you mention her a lot."

"Do I really need to show you guys pictures?"

"...Yeah," they said in unison, Naruto sighing. Taking out his phone, he shows them the pictures he took with Rin. Seeing Rin's photo, Shikamaru, Choji, Kiba, and Lee all note how beautiful she was.

"That girl in the picture is the Rin Kujou you keep telling us about!?" yelled Kiba.

"She has the look of a warrior!" yelled Lee. "I think I may be in love with her!"

"Don't even think about it Lee," Naruto told him.

"Can we see more pictures?" asked Shikamaru, Naruto deciding to show them as he swiped through the pictures he took with Rin, informing them of the locations the pictures were taken at, accidentally showing them the picture where the two were at a Tenjouin Family-owned beach in Okinawa, Rin giving him a kiss on the cheek. This made the guys direct surprised looks towards Naruto, who sees what he's done and turns red, quickly putting away his phone.

"What was that picture?" asked Shikamaru, now knowing of a new way to tease his friend.

"That is none of your goddamn business, or any of yours for that matter," said the madly blushing blond.

"No, we're not letting this go," Choji adds. "You've been holding out on some pretty juicy stories from us." With a sigh, Naruto revealed the picture was taken the morning before they left to go back to the Tenjouin Mansion. "The night before, I confessed to her, and she turned me down."

"...Wow," said Shikamaru. "Please tell us more."

"The morning following this, I decided to take a picture with her to remember the trip and...she kissed me on the cheek as a reward for getting my feelings through to her."

"...Is she still single?" asked Kiba, Shikamaru, Choji, and Lee having expected looks on their faces.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" he asked them. Seeing the way they looked at him, he told them, "No."

"Naruto come on-"

"No, I am not calling her Shikamaru. I don't want to interrupt her while she's in the middle of something." Shikamaru tells his friend he only needed to ask one question and then hang up. "If you do this, I will pay for the rest of this meal. Otherwise, we will bug you for the rest of the night."

"...You guys are annoying as hell," Naruto told them as he took out his phone and called Rin.

"Make sure you put her on speaker," Shikamaru adds, further annoying the blond.

 **Hidden Leaf Hot Springs**

"You're so lucky Tenten!" yelled Ino. "I really want a boyfriend right now! Ahhh! Why doesn't Sasuke notice me!?"

"He probably prefers girls with hair like mine who are gentle and kind and give off the need to be protected," Sakura tells her, referring to herself.

"Please, gentle and kind? You try to swing at Naruto whenever he insults either you or Sasuke. And if I recall correctly, you were having trouble with a relative of the Fire Daimyo, who was head over heels for Sasuke like you, and she was only 8. Naruto had to do most of the caring for that mission." Sakura had a tick mark on her head as she struggles to keep her composure. "Please don't bring that up..."

"Speaking of preferences, what kind of girls interest Naruto?" asked Tenten, Sakura and Ino focusing their attention on her. "We've already talked about Kiba, Shikamaru, Choji, and Lee, so what sort of girls does Naruto like?"

"I'm not sure," Sakura responds. "I never considered asking him. Though I'm sure his preferences are girls he'd be willing to protect." Tenten suggests he may be interested in girls who are tough. "You mean, with a lot of muscle?" The three girls' eyes widened when they picture Naruto being interested in macho girls.

"I don't think that's what I mean, though now I can't get that image out of my head..." Ino told the girls.

 **Sainan Town, Japan**

 **Kujou Residence**

 **Bathroom**

Taking off her clothes and taking a towel with her, Rin stops when she hears her smart flip phone ring. Picking it up, she sees Naruto's name on the caller id, answering it.

"Hello?"

 **Hidden Leaf Village**

 **Bar-B-Q**

 _"She has a very mature but cute voice,"_ Shikamaru quietly comments, Naruto telling him to shut up.

 _ **"Hello?"**_

"H-Hello Kujou-senpai...Did I call at a bad time?" Naruto and the boys turned red when she told him she was just about to take a bath. "Oh! I guess I should call back-"

 **Sainan Town, Japan**

 **Kujou Residence**

 **Bathroom**

"No, it's fine Naruto. I don't mind talking to you before I head in. It's not like you can see me right now. How have you been?" she asked, crossing her right leg over her left as she listened to Naruto's response, resting her back against the wall as she waits for the bath to fill with warm water.

 _ **"Peachy."**_

"You sound annoyed," she tells Naruto. "Something bothering you?"

 ** _"Just a bad night is all."_**

 **Hidden Leaf Village**

 **Bar-B-Q**

 _ **"I'm sorry to hear that."**_ Naruto assures her he was fine, telling her he was trying to salvage what was left of his night. _**"I'm sure you can turn that bad night around and make it a good one. So why did you call?"**_

"...Senpai...Are you..."

 ** _"Hmmm?"_**

 _"Swear to god I'm going to kill you guys..._ Are you seeing anyone?"

 **Sainan Town, Japan**

 **Kujou Residence**

 **Bathroom**

Rin smiles to herself when Naruto asked the question, asking him if that was the reason why he called.

 ** _"Y-Yes."_** Rin assures Naruto she was still single, and that he didn't have to worry about any guy taking away his precious senpai any time soon.

 **Hidden Leaf Village**

 **Bar-B-Q**

The guys, minus Neji, snicker a bit as Naruto told them to pipe down.

"You didn't have to add all that after telling me you were still single," Naruto told her, sounding embarrassed that the guys heard how he considered Rin his precious senpai.

 _ **"Sorry, I couldn't pass it up,"**_ she told him. **_"Is that all you needed?"_**

"Yeah, that was why I called." Rin tells Naruto he should call her more instead of text. "I don't want to interrupt your daily life." Rin tells Naruto his answer was horrible.

 **Sainan Town, Japan**

 **Kujou Residence**

 **Bathroom**

"I don't mind you calling," Rin admits. "I'm always happy to talk, just make sure you don't call by video, especially while I'm bathing."

 _ **"I...I will remember that."**_

"I have to hang up now," Rin tells him. "Though before I go, are we still on speaker?"

 **Hidden Leaf Village**

 **Bar-B-Q**

All the boys' eyes widened when Rin asked Naruto that question.

 _ **"I was right. You would've answered that question 2 seconds after I asked."**_

"You...could tell?" he asked, sounding nervous, even looking a bit pale.

 _ **"I can faintly hear other voices talking in the background, one of them saying how my voice was very mature but cute."**_

"Then yes, we're still on speaker."

 _ **"Turn off the speaker and put your ear against it."**_ Doing what she told him, Naruto's face flushed when the sound of Rin kissing her speaker reached his speaker. The guys looked at Naruto with curiosity, wondering why he was blushing, unaware that the blond's senpai sent him a "kissed him on the cheek" using their phones.

 **Sainan Town, Japan**

 **Kujou Residence**

 **Bathroom**

"Must've been mortifying talking to me in front of your friends. That should be a good enough reward for you, my precious kouhai. Talk to you later, Naruto." Following this, Rin ended the call with the blond.

 **Hidden Leaf Village**

 **Bar-B-Q**

Done with the call, Naruto looked at the guys, who started asking the blond what happened when he turned off the speaker.

"Nothing any of you guys should know," he told them.

"You're red in the face! Was it something good!? Something embarrassing!?" asked Kiba, sounding very demanding.

"Who knows," Naruto said with a smile.

"Whatever it was, it seems to have put you in a good mood," said Shikamaru.

"Oh you have no idea," he told them, just as everyone's orders arrived. Before Naruto could dig in, he and the boys notice a purple butterfly familiar fly into the room.

"What the..." Knowing the meaning behind its appearance, Naruto's eyes widened.

"I have to go," he told them, Shikamaru telling Naruto he hasn't eaten yet. Immediately, Naruto snapped his fingers, using flame magic to immediately cook the sliced vegetables and fish meat he ordered, to everyone's surprise.

"Naruto, what did..." The blond says nothing as he finished his order, moving his chopsticks with incredible speed before downing his glass of water, cleaning his lip with a napkin and getting up from where he was sitting. Turning to Shikamaru, he told him, "As promised, you're paying for everyone's meals," before leaving in a hurry.

 **Unnamed Forest**

"Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven!" Hinata spins rapidly as she emits chakra from all of her body's tenketsu, repelling an all-directions shuriken attack before jumping back to avoid a sword swing from a four-armed Black Spider Ninja. Acting quick, Hinata struck three of the enemy ninja's tenketsu points on his sword-wielding hand, disarming him before striking the points around his heart, killing him. Following this, she gracefully moves her feet, along with her body in a way that allowed her to react to and avoid the shurikens flying at her, some of them cutting her jacket hoodie.

 **"I can keep this up for 10 more minutes before my chakra runs out from using my Byakugan and the Rotation...I need to finish the eight remaining before I can go help Ayane."**

"You won't win," said one of the eight Black Spider Ninjas. "The moment you decided to help that Mugen Tenshin bitch, your fate was sealed. Once we kill you, we will take with us your clan's Byakugan and the secrets contained within them." The Hyuga girl cursed herself for thinking she could handle it. She had never expected the ninjas she was facing to mutate themselves after being injured up to a certain point, using dark magic granted to them by the clan's head, Obaba. They weren't like the ones that attacked the village, meaning her attackers were slightly above the rank of chunin.

"Wind Release: Violent Vortex!" In an instant, the Black Spider Ninjas were caught in and shred to pieces by a huge gust of wind above Hinata. Looking up, Hinata's face lit with joy as Naruto jumped down in front of her and asked if she was okay.

"I am now that you're here," said Hinata, turning red after realizing what she said. "How did you know I was-"

"Ayane sent me an SOS," he told her, Hinata looking surprised and a bit sad. He came to her rescue because the purple-haired kunoichi called him.

 **"So you came for her..."**

"You hurt?" Naruto asked, Hinata nodding her head no. "I'm glad." Looking at the four mutated Black Spider Ninjas on the ground, he asked her if she killed them, who responds with a yes, her crush sounding impressed as he told her how amazed he was that she handled four of them. "Just one of those ninjas are hard to kill, for a Chunin, let alone a squad of them."

"They are?" asked Hinata.

"Yeah, to kill four of them is very impressive, and you're only a Genin." The Hyuga girl had steam coming out of her ears as she heard Naruto's praises.

"Th-Thank you...Why didn't the ones you kill mutate?"

"Why? These guys mutate once they're halfway to Death's Door. Can't really mutate if you're dead before it activates, simple as that," Naruto responds, Hinata sweat dropping as she said, "Is that right..."

"Tell me what happened, from the beginning." Hinata explains to Naruto how she was making her way back to the village when she sensed a fight being waged. Using her Byakugan, she found Ayane fighting off an assassination squad that was en route to the Hidden Leaf, deciding to back her up. They were doing well until their leader, by the name of Yogenta arrived, forcing the Hajinmon kunoichi to take their battle elsewhere.

"We should find her and-" Before he could finish, Naruto pushed Hinata down, landing on her as a purple fireball flies past them from above and hits a tree. Looking to their right, they see an angry Ayane approach them, her eyes giving of an intense purple glow in her eyes.

"Found her," said Hinata, just before avoiding another blast from the kunoichi. Behind Ayane was a Black Spider Ninja in his thirties, dressed in red ninja garbs with gold trims and metal claws. His fingers were each connected to a dark purple string that connects to the back or Ayane's neck, arms, and legs

"Can't...free myself..." Ayane said in a struggling tone.

"Not even the Mugen Tenshin Clan's best ninjas can hope to overcome my Puppet Technique. A shame she destroyed my puppets. I worked really hard on them. No matter, once I'm done with my mission, I'll remove her internal organs and make her into my puppet." Yogenta has Ayane rushing towards Hinata, intent on plucking out her eyes with her left pointing and middle fingers. Naruto appears in between them and catches her by the wrist. When Ayane's forced to bring her left knee to Naruto's side, Hinata catches it. Yogenta pulls the kunoichi back when the Hyuga girl tries to strike one of her tenketsu.

"Naruto, what are our chances of beating Ayane?" asked Hinata.

"She's difficult to beat if we go at her 1-on-1, but together, I think we stand a chance." Ayane comes at them, performing several knife-hand strikes at them. Naruto managed to find an opening, knocking her back with a punch to her stomach, though not before telling Ayane, "Sorry about this."

"None...taken," Ayane responds before catching Hinata's right hand before she could strike her in the stomach, jumping up to wrap her legs around the Hyuga's neck and throw her to the ground. Hinata puts her arms in front of her to block the Hajinmon kunoichi's foot from hitting her face. Hinata notes how hard her kicks were as Ayane constantly hits at her arms with her left foot.

Before Ayane could bring her foot down on Hinata once more, Naruto knocks her away from the Hyuga girl with a burst of wind chakra and going after the Black Spider Ninja controlling her, kunai in hand. Recovering quickly, Ayane blocks Naruto's kunai with her own, headbutting him before kneeing him in the chin, following it up a spin kick to his face, her back facing the blond as she throws her kunai at Hinata, who swiftly moves to the side to avoid it. Once she was close enough, Hinata executes the Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms. To her surprise, Ayane parried all her strikes, preventing them from hitting their marks. When Hinata goes for a spin kick, Ayane falls backward, quickly performing a handstand and kicking her feet at Hinata, who blocks them as Naruto comes from behind for an attack. Noticing him, Ayane spins her body around to kick both Naruto and Hinata, knocking them to the ground.

"Yeah, Naruto, we're not standing a chance against her together," Hinata told her friend, the latter saying, "Never said we'd win against her together." Naruto constantly rolls out of the way to avoid Ayane's punches, each one leaving a small fist imprint on the ground. The blond sweeps her off her feet with his left hand before kicking her towards Hinata who wraps her arms around the kunoichi's waist. Ayane tried to shake her off, even smash Hinata against the tree, but the Hyuga maintains her hold on her as she sends her chakra through the chakra threads connecting Ayane to Yogenta, damaging the nerves in Black Spider Ninja's fingers and hands in the process, thus freeing the Hajinmon kunoichi. Yogenta falls to the ground in pain as Ayane regains control over her body.

"Where, when, and how did you learn that?" asked Ayane.

"I just thought about it on the fly. I figured I could send my chakra into you and through his chakra strings, allowing me to damage him.

"On the fly...Impressive nonetheless," Ayane told Hinata, who thanked her for the praise.

"My hands! I can't...I can't feel anything from them!" yelled Yogenta, who immediately gets knocked down to the ground by a punch to the face by Naruto. Before he could do more, Ayane stops him, telling him she was going to get some payback for stringing her up like Pinocchio.

"No...I will not be beaten by Mugen Tenshin and Konoha trash!" Yogenta forces a mutation, his physique growing larger and more monstrous as two extra arms grow grom his back and his jaw splits in two, letting out a demonic screech.

"Round Two..." Yogenta spews acidic webbing at the three ninjas, who move away from it as it hits and melts part of a large rock behind them. Naruto runs towards Yogenta, zipping past the acidic webbing and performing a backflip kick. The Black Spider Ninja reeled back in pain for a seconds before swinging one of his two right fists down on the blond, who assumes a stance to absorb the power of the strike and repel Yogenta as Hinata follows it up by activating her twin lion fists and striking him in the chest, draining a small amount of chakra from his chakra network just as Ayane ran past the Hyuga girl and lunges forward, spinning in a corkscrew manner with her feet leading towards the Black Spider Ninja, kicking him hard in the throat, preventing him from spewing any acidic webs.

When Yogenta tries to bite the purple-haired kunoichi, Naruto stops him by punching him in the mouth with a ki-enhanced fist, cracking the enemy ninja's teeth and breaking part of Yogenta's jaw. Yogenta recovers, just to receive a ki-enhanced punch from Ayane before Hinata jumps towards him, delivering a two-handed palm strike to his chest, and pushes herself backward with her feet from her opponent's chest, knocking the Black Spider Ninja to the ground.

"You have all that power granted to you by that witch of yours yet you get your butt handed to you by ninjas who have a few years to go before we're 16," said Ayane, angering Yogenta as he gets back up to fight again, only to fall on his knees when he experiences intense internal pain, exiting his mutation in the process.

"This can't be...Obaba's magic was supposed to last longer..."

"Hate to break it to you, but the moment you faced a Hyuga and experienced the strikes of one, that time was going to run out quick," Ayane told her enemy. "Why do you think the Hyuga Clan is the strongest clan in the Hidden Leaf?"

"I will not die at the hands of inferior ninjas!" Yogenta throws down a flash bomb, stunning the three enough to grant him an escape.

"Even in that state, he has enough energy to run away. Talk about absurd..." Turning towards Hinata, Ayane properly thanks her for helping her out.

"I seem to be getting a lot of praises from the both of you," said a smiling Hinata, Ayane adding how it was due to being a huge help in the fight.

"I apologize for calling you all of a sudden, Naruto. Did I interrupt anything?" Naruto tells Ayane how he was in the middle of eating with the guys and had to finish his meal within ten seconds and haul ass over to help her and Hinata. He then assured the kunoichi that he didn't mind since she was in trouble and that he'd drop everything he was doing to come to her rescue.

"Should we go after Yogenta?"

"AHHHH!" Hearing the Black Spider Ninja's scream, the three run towards the location the scream was coming from. On the ground, Yogenta found himself pierced by three arrows that were made from a gold metallic substance.

"If you were as good as you were at prime form, you would've dodged those shots, Yogenta," said a six-armed ninja, who was wielding a bow, reading another arrow as it comes out of his own mouth.

"Ki-...Kidomaru...You deserter...You're supposed to be dead..."

"I would have been, but it wasn't my time. However, your time has come," said the ninja known as Kidomaru. Noticing the Sound Village symbol on the six-armed man's forehead protector, he told him, "Orochimaru, huh...So that's how you survived."

"Before I kill you, I have to confess, out of all the ninjas in the clan, I hated you the most." As he pulled the string of his bow back, Kidomaru asked Yogenta if he had any last words, wanting to at least let him say what he wanted to say before he killed him, as a former member of the Black Spider Ninjas.

"Yes...I'll see you...in Hell." With that, Yogenta met his end via an arrow to the head.

"Kidomaru, let's go. We have a mission," said a large and imposing young man. Nodding to his teammate, Kidomaru leaves with him to meet up with the others before Naruto, Hinata, and Ayane arrived and found Yogenta's corpse.

"Looks like someone killed him before we could," said Ayane.

"We should report this to Grandma Tsunade," Naruto adds. "We may have a third party making their way to the Hidden Leaf."

"I'll do that with Hinata. You go back to your guys' night." Asking her if she was sure, Ayane told him she can submit the report for them.

 **Bar-B-Q**

Returning to the barbecue place, Naruto made it in time to see the guys come out of the front entrance.

"Oh, Naruto, you're back," said Shikamaru, Naruto apologizing for leaving before explaining the reason why. "Shouldn't you report this to the Hokage?"

"Ayane and Hinata are handling it for me," Naruto adds before asking the guys what they were planning to do next. To his dismay, the guys made the decision to call it a night after eating. "Oh..."

"Maybe next time," said Choji, Lee telling Naruto to have a good night as he and the other guys went their separate ways.

"Just leave to help Ayane for a bit, only to come back and find guys' night over..." Naruto tells himself it was a sacrifice he had to make. Had he not dropped everything, Ayane would've been turned into a human puppet, and Hinata would have been an eyeless corpse.

 **Naruto's House**

"I'm home..." Kureha welcomes Naruto back before asking him if he had dinner yet. "Yeah, I ate with the guys a bit."

"Would've thought you'd be with them longer."

"Something came up," Naruto told the shrine maiden, explaining what happened to her.

"The Black Spider Ninjas were planning to assassinate Tsunade? Just how vulnerable do they think the Hidden Leaf is?" Naruto tells her while he, Hinata, and Ayane stopped it, they found out another party was making their way to Konoha, their motives unknown, assuming they were planning to assassinate Tsunade as well. "Their motives aside, I'm glad Ayane and Hinata are okay."

"Yeah. I'm going to call it a night and head to bed now. Ayane may come over and stay." Kureha smiles as she said goodnight to him and that she'd see him in the morning.

 **The next day**

 **Hidden Leaf Forest**

"Are these all the apples you need?" asked Naruto as he and Sakura jumped down to the ground, the girl who requested their help thanking them. Turning towards Naruto, the blushing girl hands him a pink lady apple, telling him it was the largest of the ones he and Sakura collected for her. Sakura took notice of this, looking surprised as her teammate thanked the girl, who hands Sakura a bag full of apples.

"It's for your teammate at the hospital."

"Oh, thank you so much. I'm sure he'll love them," Sakura told the girl, sounding grateful before leaving with Naruto.

"She was very nice to you..."

"I did save her pet from drowning several years back during my birthday," Naruto told his teammate.

"That explains it," said Sakura. "...Out of curiosity, how are we?"

"You still have ways to go," Naruto quickly responds, Sakura yelling in a surprised manner, "Still!?"

"Better believe it. You'll get there someday, just not today...You go on and see Sasuke. I'll report to Grandma Tsunade." Sakura looked surprised when Naruto told her she could visit Sasuke right away. After thanking him, she and the blond went their separate ways.

 **Hokage's Office**

Naruto enters the office, chowing down on the pink lady apple the girl from the mission gave him as Ayane and Tsunade finished talk regarding the need to up security around the latter.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked, Tsunade telling him she and the kunoichi had just finished talking. "Alright. I just got back from helping out one of the villagers in collecting apples with Sakura. She was kind enough to give us some." Following this, he took another bite from the juicy apple as he hands her his written report.

"Thank you, Naruto," said Tsunade. "Do you plan on visiting Sasuke? He should be awake and ready for release by now."

"Yeah, I plan to go visit him at the hospital and have ramen at Ichiraku's with him and Sakura. Old Man Teuchi came back today and said he had developed a new ramen recipe and that he'd let me be the first one to try it since he plans to serve it only at night."

"That sounds very delicious," said Tsunade, her interest in the ramen chef's recipe piquing. "I should try it out once my schedule allows me to."

"Ayane, want to come to the hospital with me?" Ayane tells the blond she had plans to meet with Kureha for some "important top-secret mission" she had from the Hayabusa Clan. "You need me to come?"

"Please, Kureha and I are more than capable of handling this mission," she told him, sounding a bit arrogant about it.

"Alright, just be careful okay?" With a smile, Ayane takes Naruto's apple, taking a bite out of it and telling him, "Of course..." before leaving.

"She took my apple..."

"...Is there something going on between the two of you?" Tsunade asked, a suspicious smirk on her face.

"Like what?" asked Naruto, Tsunade telling herself, "Kids these days..."

 **"The hell is that supposed to mean?"**

 **Konoha Hospital**

 **Sasuke's Room**

Upon entering, Naruto noticed a broken plate, along with a few peeled apple slices on the floor before looking up at Sakura and a bed-ridden Sasuke. As he wondered what was going on between them, Sasuke noticed the blond, meeting his gaze with a glare.

"What's with the cold welcoming glare?" asked Naruto.

"Naruto...FIGHT ME!"

"Huh? You're still recovering. I don't think that's-"

"SHUT UP AND FIGHT ME!" yelled Sasuke, startling Sakura. "You think you saved me? I don't care if she's the Fifth Hokage, you shouldn't have let her."

"If you want to be in another coma so bad, I'll gladly knock you out. It'll only take one punch." When asked if it was a threat, Naruto corrects him, saying, "No, it's a courtesy."

"Cut it out you two, please," Sakura told the boys in a calm but panicked manner.

"Perhaps you need another day or two here," said Naruto, turning around to leave. "I should ask the lady at the front desk if she can arrange a-" Naruto stops as he reached the door, catching the knife Sasuke threw at him without even looking.

"...You do not want this fight," The blond told his teammate, dropping the knife on the floor after. Sasuke tells him he has no say in it and that he'll damn well do what he requests of him. "And if I say no?"

"I'll force you to fight, by any means necessary." Wondering what he meant by the last three words, Naruto sighs before telling him, "Just know I didn't want this."

 **Roof**

Sheets flowed with the wind as Naruto and Sasuke entered the roof, Sakura following them from behind. Stopping, the two faced each other, Naruto telling him once more they shouldn't fight and just go hang out instead until night time and have ramen, like he and Sakura planned.

"Sounds like something a scared person would say for sure," Sasuke said to Naruto, who informs him that the Uchiha didn't scare him at all. "Who are you fooling?"

"Who am I fooling? That's rich coming from the proud remaining member of the Uchiha. Oh, right, forgot that your brother Itachi is still alive," said Naruto, his response angering Sasuke. "Let's get this over with already. First, bring out your headband. I'll wait."

"I don't need it," Sasuke said, Naruto telling him to just put it on. "You won't even be able to put a scratch on my forehead!"

"Who do you think you're fooling?" asked Naruto.

"You never put yours on until not too long ago!"

"That's because I never felt part of the village! This time, it's different," Naruto countered. "Also, the headband is a symbol of two shinobis fighting as equals, no matter what!"

"You're making me angry Naruto!"

"I hate to tell you this Sasuke, but you're an arrogant fool to think you can beat Itachi as you are now. You're acting selfish, arrogant, and prideful, and it will lead to your death if you don't change it. You are NOT ready, and you're too weak to even put up a fight if you fight Itachi again." This was the last straw from Sasuke, who runs at Naruto and throws a right punch at him, who catches it in his left hand, avoiding the Uchiha's cartwheel kick before kicking him to the gate behind him.

Recovering while falling backward, Sasuke plants his feet on the gate and propelled himself towards the blond, who moves to the side to avoid the Uchiha. Sasuke plants his feet on the ground to stop himself, turning counterclockwise as he swings his right foot at Naruto. The blond chunin raises his left arm up to block Sasuke's foot before moving to avoid the Uchiha's second kick. Naruto fights back, striking Sasuke in the throat with a karate chop with his left hand, followed by a right palm heel strike to the Uchiha's right shoulder.

When Sasuke throws a right punch at him, the blond grabs him by his punching arm, lifts him up and slams him onto the floor. The force of the slam makes the Uchiha cough in pain before feeling Naruto kick him with his right foot, his back hitting against the gated fence.

"There's nothing to prove in this fight Sasuke. I don't want to hurt your pride more than I already did," Naruto insists. Sasuke doesn't listen as he spews a fireball from his mouth. Naruto uses a ninpo that surrounds himself with a tornado of water that covers their surroundings with a mist caused by the fireball colliding with it.

Once it clears, Sasuke is met with fifty clones of the blond, the original telling Sasuke to cease fighting. This fell into deaf ears as Sasuke charged at the clones, dispatching 4 of them before being sent flying into the air when three Naruto clones kick him up, a fourth clone appearing above him and performing a spinning heel drop on him. Sasuke turns around to face the clone, blocking the kick in mid-air before kicking it down to the floor below them. Weaving hand signs, Sasuke fires a large fireball down at the clones below, destroying them while the original had up a barrier of chakra around himself, bursting it to destroy the flames before appearing near Sasuke and punching him in the forehead, knocking him down to the floor below. Getting up, Sasuke noticed a small cut on his forehead, small drops of his blood dripping on the stone flooring. Recalling what he told Naruto earlier, Sasuke's anger towards him grew as Naruto lands on the ground.

"Sasuke, just stop!" Sakura begged. "Naruto doesn't want to-"

"No...Not now!" yelled the Uchiha, who runs at Naruto and starts assaulting him with several punches and kicks. Naruto now had on an angry and annoyed expression on his face as he avoids the Uchiha's strikes. Naruto assumes his defensive stance as he absorbed the power of the last strike and struck Sasuke with double the force, knocking him down again.

"Sasuke..."

"I have to beat you...Only then will I hope to further my chances of killing him!"

"Sasuke, if you don't stop, I'll be forced to extend your stay at the hospital. You need to let go. Killing Itachi won't solve anything. It'll only make you feel worse. You'll only end up urting and suffering more than you are at the moment."

"You...You don't understand the feeling!" Sasuke exclaimed. "You never saw anyone you cared about killed! Your parents! Your relatives! You don't understand the pain! You don't understand what it feels like to be the only one left alive! You don't know anything! Until you lose someone you care about, you will never understand!" yelled Sasuke. "Perhaps if I kill that woman you're always hanging with, you'll understand!" Naruto lets out a surge of killing intent when Sasuke threatened to go after Kureha.

"How...dare you..." Naruto said in a calm but angry manner. Through his anger, Naruto forms a Rasengan in his right hand, its color a mix of red and black instead of the usual light blue while Sasuke forms a Chidori in his left, both ninjas preparing to run at each other. As Sakura yells for them to stop, Kakashi appears and throws them at two opposing water towers, their techniques striking them.

 **"Naruto...That was the Rasengan."** Kakashi thought to himself. **"Though...why did it have such malicious energy in it? That's not the Nine-Tailed Fox's power, but something else..."** As Sasuke lets out a smirk after seeing how much damage his Chidori did, compared to Naruto's Rasengan, the blond looked down in shame, though not because of the damage. He let his anger overcome him, feeling something evil envelop him at that moment. He was intent on killing Sasuke when he formed that Rasengan. Had Kakashi not stopped them...Without saying anything, Naruto disappears as Sasuke leaps off the roof. Landing on another building, upon closer examination, Sasuke, to his shock, found out the true strength of Naruto's technique as he saw the large gaping hole from the back of the water the blond's technique hit.

"...You taught him the Rasengan, huh Jiraiya..." As Kakashi sat on to of the water tower Sasuke's Chidori hit, Jiraiya rests his back against it, arms crossed. "He was intent on killing Sasuke. I could feel the dark power in it, but not the Nine-Tailed Fox's...That was Naruto's own killing intent in that Rasengan."

"You taught Sasuke the Chidori, and he was intent on killing Naruto," Jiraiya countered. "Unlike the Uchiha, Naruto has his reasons for getting angry. He always does if it's for someone he cares about. Sasuke has no one to get angry for, no one but himself."

"While true, I understand Sasuke's reason for acting that way. He has seen the gap he needs to fill between him and Naruto," Kakashi told the toad sage. "It's one that is far and wide, and it scares him. It seems that meeting Itachi has made him even more anxious, desperate even, to close the gap between the many powers in front of him as soon as possible."

"Jealousy is always a bad sign," said Jiraiya. Kakashi tells him he'll talk to Sasuke.

 **Nighttime**

 **Hokage Rock**

Naruto silently sat on top of the Fourth Hokage's stone face as he looked up at the sky, listening to **"Burn My Dread -Last Battle- Future Arrange"** on his earphones. At least he was. He was too occupied with his mind, replaying the emotions he felt when he charged at Sasuke with that Rasengan. The feelings he felt when his own teammate threatened someone he cared about. His own teammate. Other than anger, he felt pain. Had he killed Sasuke...As he shuts his eyes for a bit, wondering how to handle Sasuke, he sensed the Nine-Tailed Fox's presence inside him, telling him his anger and rage made him stronger, using the fight as an example and agreeing with Sasuke's views. Abruptly opening his eyes, Naruto decides to head towards Ichiraku to try Old Man Teuchi's night-exclusive ramen.

 **Ramen Ichiraku**

Entering the restaurant, Naruto is immediately welcomed by Old Man Teuchi and Ayame, who greets them back before noticing Ayane.

"Ayane!?" Turning around, the kunoichi's face turned red, having been caught by Naruto as she prepared to order the ramen Old Man Teuchi perfected, after returning from his "food journey", that he only served at night.

"So you're here to try his new ramen huh?" asked Naruto, Ayane telling him she didn't know what he was talking about. "Come on Ayane, you were there when I was reporting for Grandma Tsunade. You can't tell me that you don't know, or that you're not the least bit interested in what it tastes like."

"...Okay, I was going to order it. It sounded interesting when you said he only served it at night."

"It's strange, though. Old Man Teuchi said he was going to only serve it to me, yet here you are, being allowed to eat it." Ayane looked away when she told him the old man recognized her as the girl his daughter, Ayame, told him about. "That explains it. Mind if I sit with you?"

"Do whatever you want," she told him, sounding annoyed as the blond smiled at her and took a seat on her right. As Naruto sat down, Ayane's heart pounded.

"Ramen like the one we're about to have tastes better when you eat it with someone, especially during a time like this when I need to keep my spirits up." When Ayane asked what happened, he told her about his fight at the hospital between him and Sasuke, a fight that had Naruto completely dominating the Uchiha, hurting his teammate's pride.

"...If you don't mind...I can listen to what you have to say while we eat." Naruto thanked Ayane before she said, in a shy manner, "N-No problem..." As Teuchi and his daughter prepared it for them, Naruto gave Ayane the whole rundown of what happened, including the anger he felt towards Sasuke.

"I had every intention to kill him for what he said."

"But you didn't kill him, thanks to your sensei," said Ayane. "...Along with his brother giving him a whooping and the cursed mark on his neck, he's becoming more like me before I met you."

"Yeah...If he keeps this up, he might do something reckless. Like go to that snake Orochimaru for example...And then I'd have to eventually..."

"...I'm not good with advice, Naruto. I've never been, unlike you. I can't say anything that's going to help ease your worries. All I can say is...if he ever falls into darkness. If it's not too late...I know you can find a way to save him. After all..." Before she could continue, the kunoichi turns red. "After all..." She wanted to say it. She wanted to tell him he saved her from darkness, but the words never came out.

"What?"

"Sorry, I lost the words I was going to say. I told you I'm not good at this sort of stuff," she told the blond chunin.

"Yeah, you're pretty horrible at it. But I appreciate you trying your best," said a thankful Naruto, just as their ramen arrived. "So how was the important top-secret Hayabusa mission you had with Kureha?" Ayane turned even redder when the blond asked her the question.

"The mission was a lie. Something Kureha made up. She actually wanted to find me some...pretty clothes to wear. She even took pictures of me."

"Oh...Must have been exhausting."

"Yeah...I'm going on a mission after eating. Your Hokage assigned it to me. Apparently a few dangerous ninja have escaped the village's correctional facility. How they managed to get across the volcanic area around it is beyond me." When asked if she could handle it, Ayane told him she could and that he didn't have to worry about her getting hurt. "If it helps to ease your worries, your sensei's helping me."

"Alright...Just as long as you have someone watching your back." Finally eating their ramen, Ayane notes how tasty the noodles were and how well it complemented the ginger chicken broth.

 **The next day**

 **Naruto's House**

 **4:58 am**

"What...did you just say Shikamaru?"

"You heard me. Sasuke has left the village to seek Orochimaru. We need to head out now. I've already called Chouji, Kiba, and Neji. You're the last one." His eyes narrowing, Naruto told him he'd be out in 20 minutes and to wait for him at the gate. "Understood." After taking care of his hygienes and gathering his equipment, Naruto said goodbye to Kureha before leaving, hearing the shrine maiden tell him to be careful.

 **Village Gate**

Arriving, Naruto lets the boys know he arrived before asking Shikamaru if anyone else was coming.

"No, it's just us. Lee would've came, but he's recovering from the surgery he had yesterday," Neji informed the blond.

"I see...Shikamaru, what's the game plan?" Naruto asked his fellow chunin.

"First off, we need a party formation that can instantly react to an assault," Shikamaru explained in a calm and collected manner. "It'll be single-file. For starters, Kiba and Akamaru will be the forward guard. He and his dog have spent all year wandering the Land of Fire, so if anyone knows the terrain, it's them. With their great sense of smell, we can track Sasuke's scent. He can even detect and disarm booby traps.

"Wow, I guess Kiba's taking the lead in something after all," Choji jokes, annoying Kiba.

"Guys, focus," said Nauto.

"I'll come second. Whatever the situation, I can respond by ordering Kiba directly from behind. I can also use hand signals to communicate with the rest of you. Next is Naruto. You're very well-rounded in combat, meaning you can support either the front or back as need be. Fourth is Choji. You can strike just as hard as Naruto. Once Naruto, Kiba, and I launch a surprise attack, Choji takes the stage and clobbers the enemy. Finally, there's Neji. The rearguard is the toughest job of all. His Byakugan can ensure that our squad has no blind spots. Any questions?" Everyone, except Naruto, smiles, in agreement, the blond simply nodding yes.

"Okay, now before you go, let me tell you the most important thing. I don't like Sasuke a lot, seeing as how I don't consider him a friend and all. But, like us, he's a ninja of the Hidden Leaf. Our comrade. Thus, I will stake my life to rescue him. Beyond that, even I can't complain, when all your lives have been entrusted to me."

"Well said Shikamaru," said Naruto. "We should head out before-"

"WAIT!" Turning around, the boys find Sakura approaching them. Approaching her, Naruto stops in front of her, nodding his head no as he puts his right hand forward in a stopping manner, letting her know she couldn't come.

"Shikamaru told me what you did. How you tried to stop him from leaving. Your role has ended. Our only recourse is to persuade him by force," Naruto informed his teammate. This results in Sakura breaking down in tears.

 _"I...I couldn't do it! I couldn't stop him...Naruto...I understand you never like having me and Sasuke as teammates. We've never been the best comrades for you...And I've never asked anything of you...But...Just this once...I beg of you, please bring Sasuke back...Only you can do it...Please...I can't ask anyone else..."_

"Yeah, we've never been buddies...and even now, we're just managing to be buddies. But...regardless of how you saw and treated me before, I'm not willing to ignore you if you need help, regardless of how I feel..I can't promise you I can bring him back, but...no matter how long it takes, I'll try my damndest."

 _"Thank you, Naruto...Thank you..."_ Turning back to face the guys, he told them they should get a move on, unaware of the enemies they were going to face. From atop a tall tree, the white-haired woman with the floating magical orb watched over them.

"Good luck, Naruto Uzumaki." Feeling her presence, Naruto turned his attention towards the tree, seeing no one.

"Naruto, you doing okay?" asked Choji.

"Yeah...I just had a strange feeling that someone was watching me...let's continue."

 **ED1: Self-Inflicted Achromatic (自傷無色)(Cover) by Raon Lee**

* * *

 **Alright, next 2 to 3, maybe 4 chapters will focus on the Sasuke Retrieval Arc, followed by an epilogue which will have Naruto leaving Konoha, making him part of a bigger universe. From there, Part II will commence, closing the door on Part I.**

 **As stated somewhere, Part II will be filler and main stories mixed into one. THere'll be chapters involving Narut's allies, chapters where Naruto has some adventures at UCLA, and chapters where things get difficult, maybe even heartbreaking for Naruto, heading towards a dark path maybe.**

 **Naruto's time in America and so one will be based on Persona 5 The Royal gameplay, with a certain vampire replacing Ayane as the female companion. A sword-wielding bluenette will also make an appearance in Part II, as well as make a short appearance in Part III. REMEMBER, alternate universes.**

 **The power Naruto used for his Rasengan is something from a video game. By now you may already know it, given the hints and pieces.**

 **Between Konoha and the Hidden Leaf, it's difficult to choose which to type. Usually, I do the Hidden Leaf, but should I type Konoha more?**

 **Viola has made a second cameo. Regarding her, she's always watching Naruto, observing him out of curiosity for reasons only she knows. Her next appearance is unknown at the moment.**

 **Yes, Kidomaru is a former member of the Black Spider Ninja Clan. The opportunity presented itself, and I took it.**

 **Kureha being in Konoha means a lot to Naruto, and having her around is helping Naruto in a way, given her importance in the future.**

 **About Naruto feeling hurt and angry over Sasuke's threat against Kureha, it's because deep down, Naruto considers him a friend, he just can't say it or admit that he sees the Uchiha as a friend. Plus, if you ever heard your friend say those things to you, it'd not only be a shock, but you'd feel betrayed and hurt by it, even angry.**

 **If Naruto is angry as he is, he always does it for a reason, mainly because someone he cares about is being threatened, or because he feels hurt. There's more but I think we get the picture. Remember, if he's angry, he's angry for someone he cares about.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Note: Since we've all read and watched the Sasuke Retrieval Arc, battles and all, Choji, Neji, Kiba, and Lee's fights will be skipped, and then some.**

* * *

 **OP1: Overwhelming Vivid Days by Nanami Yoshi**

 **Konoha Forest**

"Their scents were joined by two new traces, but now the original five are leaving the blood zone," Kiba informed his team as they jump from tree branch to tree branch in their pursuit for Sasuke and the Sound Four. "What do we do Shikamaru?"

"Considering they've already fought once, they'll be more guarded," Shikamaru responds. "They'd clearly consider the possibility that they're being tailed by an elite tracking unit. Chances are...they've laid traps and are lying in wait. Put all your senses on alert. We'll find them before they spring a mine at ut. If you hit on any unusual signs, don't just avoid it. Interpret it..."

As soon as Kiba smells the enemy, Shikamaru gestures them to stop with a hand signal. Looking up, Neji notes the six explosive bombs that formed a perimeter barrier, Choji unable to understand it.

"A booby trap ninjutsu that triggers if we enter a specified area," Naruto explains. "I'd disable them, but there's a possibility they'll take notice of this. We'll need to make a detour." Surveying the area, they find wire traps placed on the ground.

"Judging by the layout, it seems that they set it all up in haste, meaning they're on break," Neji adds. "Either they're wounded, or it's just a ruse." Activating his Byakugan, Neji finds the Sound Four taking a rest up ahead, having received moderate injuries from fighting two Hidden Leaf Jonin earlier. "Got them..."

"Alright, As soon as I knock out a strategy, we'll hit our target," said Shikamaru.

 **With the Sound Four**

"Here we are, in such a hurry...And what are we doing? Kicking our feet up," said Sakon, sounding tired. Tayuya tells him it couldn't be helped since fighting with the Cursed Seal Level 2 took a toll on them.

"The toughest part is being unable to use our bodies for a while," Jirobo adds.

"If we'd held back, we'd be dead right now," Kidomaru finished.

 **With Sasuke Retrieval Team**

"Kiba, make sure you time the smoke bomb accurately. It's imperative," Shikamaru told his teammate, who assures him he knows. "All right. Let's split into two groups. Now...where's Naruto?" Turning around, they find the blond absent.

 _"Did he just go off on his own!?"_ Kiba angrily whispered, doing so in order to prevent the Sound Four from hearing him.

"Whatever his reason for ditching us, we need to execute this plan."

Back with the Sound Four, Kidomaru feels a bit of a tug from the string wrapped around his right thumb, his teammates also taking notice. Sakon throws a kunai, with three explosive tags attached to it towards a hidden Shikamaru and Neji, forcing them to come out of cover before the tags explode.

"Well, well," said Tayuya. The things you find in the underbrush. I was expecting a snake. Turns out it was just a couple of bugs." Before Jirobo could attack, Shikamaru puts his hands in front of him and tells them to wait, and to hold on a second.

"We didn't come to fight! We're here to negotiate," he told them.

"Then what's your explanation for this!?" asked Kidomaru, tugging at the strings wrapped around his fingers to reveal an ensnared Kiba and Choji. With a smirk, Kiba threw down a smoke bomb in front of the Sound ninjas, who looked unimpressed as Kiba and Choji land next to Shikamaru and Neji.

"Now, time to-" Before Kidomaru could finish, he and his teammates found themselves unable to move. "What? My body..." Looking down, the enemy finds their shadows connected to Shikamaru's.

"Shadow Possession Technique...As expected from a member of the Nara Clan," said Sakon.

"Alright, Choji, grab the container with Sasuke in it and-"

"However, you're a shadow short," Sakon interrupts, Ukon, his twin brother, managing to throw a few Shuriken at Shikamaru, injuring him a bit and making him break his hold on them as Jirobo used Earth Release Barrier: Earth Prison Dome of Magnificent Nothingness to trap the four. Once Shikamaru, CHoji, Kiba, and Neji were trapped, Ukon merged himself back into his brother. Inside, the four find their chakra being drained by Jirobo. Kiba uses Fang Over Fang with Akamaru to try and break through it, failing to as the destroyed area repairs itself.

 **"It was stupid to charge in before we figured out our enemies' powers...Winding up in a mess like this..."**

"Jirobo, keep them contained. Once you're done absorbing all their chakra-"

"GIANT RASENGAN!" The Sound Four gets startled when Naruto thrusts the giant sphere of chakra into the thinnest part of the dome opposite of where Jirobo was standing, breaking it and freeing his teammates.

"Where did he come from?" asked Tayuya. "We didn't even sense him."

"Naruto, you knew it was flawed, didn't you? My strategy?" asked Shikamaru, the blond nodding.

"I didn't want to say anything since I wanted to put the team's trust in you," Naruto explained.

"Though you should've spoken up about it, since you saved us, I'll let it slide," Shikamaru told him.

"JIROBO, COVER OUR ESCAPE!" yelled Sakon, the large man nodding his head before throwing a large volume of earth he ripped from the ground at them.

"HOLY SHIT!" yelled Kiba. With Choji's help, Naruto destroyed the mass of dirt with a combined punch, Naruto noting out loud how Choji really did strike just as hard as him.

"Thanks, Naruto," said an appreciative Choji. Noticing Jirobo's teammates escaping with Sasuke, Kiba tries to go after them, only to be knocked back by Jirobo himself.

"I won't let any of you get past me," he told them, assuming a sumo stance.

"You guys go ahead, I'll finish this guy and-"

"No," said Choji. "You're our best chance at getting Sasuke back." Before he continued, Choji hands Shikamaru a bag of military ration pills. "If anyone's fighting this guy, it's going to be me and me alone. If we fight him all at once while his allies make a break for it, we won't get Sasuke back."

"Choji...Don't tell me." Understanding Choji's plan, Naruto tells Shikamaru they had to catch up to the other members of the Sound Four, his fellow chunin asking him if he was nuts.

"Choji, can you truly handle this guy?" asked Naruto. The Akmichi boy asked Naruto why he was asking that question instead of going after the three Sound Ninjas.

"I'll catch up to you guys after, don't worry." Nodding, Naruto, Kiba, and Neji rush after the three Sound Ninjas, Shikamaru being the last to leave, but not before telling Choji, "You better catch up to us. You got that Choji?" His friend said nothing as he gave him a thumbs-up, engaging Jirobo after.

As they went after the three members of the Sound Four, Neji asked Shikamaru and Naruto if Choji had an ace up his sleeve, the blond deciding to stay silent as he focused on looking forward.

"He brought the Akimichi Clan's Secret Triple Threat with him," Shikamaru responds as they trailed the enemy. "Naruto knows about it as well. Green, Yellow, Red. The triad of colored pellets, Sanshokugan, can give you explosive power. With that, he should be able to finish the match quickly and meet up with us."

"...You guys know that Akamaru can judge an enemy's strength by their scent, right..." said Kiba. "He's worried whether those colored pills alone can help Choji win against that monster..."

"I too am worried about Choji's safety," Neji adds. "Choji may well stand zero chance against him." Hearing this, Naruto stops moving, the boys taking notice. "Naruto?"

"I'm sorry, did you say that Choji stood zero chance against that giant meatball?" Naruto asked. "He'll win his fight. Have more confidence in him. If you do so much as say he doesn't stand a chance...he might as well be dead by now."

"Naruto..."

"I may not have been in a lot of missions with Choji like Shikamaru to know what he's capable of, but to volunteer to stay back and fight that man...that speaks volumes. You two should put just as much faith in him as you do your own teammates. Don't forget that..." Finished, he tells them, "Let's get a move on," before continuing the chase.

"You heard him, let's get a move on," said Shikamaru, feeling motivated by Naruto's words towards his friend. After carving directions for Choji onto a tree, should he win his battle, the four boys continue their chase.

"We're close," Kiba informed them, having sniffed out their scent. Neji notes how the three remaining Sound Ninjas haven't laid a single trap down following their separation from Jirobo, asking Shikamaru what he thinks was going on.

"They're underestimating us," he said. "They think Mr. Hefty's the only one who's going to be catching up with them. No one lays traps against their allies."

"They don't think we can do it, huh..." Neji said in a calm manner. "But, this gives us the perfect chance to strike." Up ahead, the three Sound Ninjas look back and see Jirobo heading towards them, Sakon asking him what took him so long, the large man telling them how it took longer for him to drain the boys of their chakra.

"Hey fatso, we don't have time to fart around!" Tayuya yelled in a rude manner. "Carry the casket! Be useful for once!"

"Okay..." Tayuya, Sakon, and Kidomaru looked at Jirobo with suspicion, Kidomaru asking him if he was feeling ill.

"Whaddya mean?" asked Jirobo.

"Means I ain't handing the casket over to you!" Kidomaru yelled. "'Cuz you ain't Jirobo!" Kidomaru throws Tayuya the casket, allowing her and Sakon to leave before engaging "Jirobo" in close quarters. "Jirobo's always scolding Tayuya about her language."

"That so..." said "Jirobo", who was revealed to be Shikamaru.

"Ninja Art: Kumoshibari! Spider Web Net!" The Sound Ninja spits some webbing at Shikamaru, sticking him against the side of a tree.

"Heads up, Man-Spider!" yelled Naruto appearing above the Sound Ninja, who spews a large net of webbing at him. Kidomaru's eyes widened when Naruto, kunais in hand, spun his body, using his ki to set the kunai blades on fire as he creates a 360-degree slash to destroy the webbing before kicking the Sound Ninja down.

 **"What!?"**

"KIBA NOW!"

"Fang Over Fang!" Noticing Kiba's attack, Kidomaru stops himself from falling by shooting webbing from all six of his hands, letting him and Akamaru pass by before dodging Neji's surprise attack from behind, just as Naruto freed Shikamaru.

"I'll make sure none of you gets past me. Not only are you up against one of Orochimaru's strongest, but you're also up against a former member of the Black Spider Ninja Clan."

 **"Guess I know who killed Yogenta,"** Naruto thought to himself as he and the others wondered what the next course of action was.

 **"That blond kid...If I let him go ahead..."**

"Shikamaru, you go on ahead with Naruto and Kiba." When asked why, Neji informed them that his Byakugan has identified the webbing Kidomaru was using. "They're a mix of his spit and chakra. Because of this, my Gentle Fist makes me the perfect opponent for him."

"Are you sure?" Kiba asked the Hyuga.

"Yes, now go." Nodding in agreement, Shikamaru tells Naruto and Kiba to continue the chase before rushing past Kidomaru, who tries to stop them with his webbing, only for Neji to blast it to pieces with a vacuum palm.

"Two enemies left up ahead...If we do it right, the next mission will be a success."

 **With Orochimaru**

 **Hideout**

"Where is Sasuke?" Orochimaru asked Kabuto, sounding angry and in pain as his rotted limbs ached.

"Running late," he told his master. When Kabuto suggests he take other bodies, even his own, Orochimaru adamantly tells him it had to be Sasuke before screaming in pain once more.

 **"Damn...I'll have to arrange for a selecting. Also...I'll need to send out Kimimaro..."**

 **With Sasuke Retrieval Team**

Naruto has his clone throw him at high speed, launching him forward as he rammed into Sakon, knocking him into a tree before punching Tayuya in the face, making her let go of the casket Sasuke's in as she lands on a tree branch.

"You don't waste any time, do you?" Kiba asked Naruto as he prepares to grab the casket, only to get knocked aside by Sakon, who grabs hold of the casket, only for Naruto to knee him in the stomach before kicking him with both feet, knocking him to the ground. Naruto then grabbed the casket, telling Sasuke, "You are so grounded when we get back to the Hidden Leaf..."

"Alright, casket recovered, let's haul ass!" yelled Shikamaru, Naruto, Kiba, and Akamaru nodding in agreement as they turned around and started rushing back to the village.

"You...You brats...YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY!" yelled Sakon, having activated his cursed seal to increase his physical capabilities. Kiba tells Akamaru to cover their escape. Understanding, Akamaru places an explosive tag on a tree branch as the three boys made their escape. Before he could go back to his owner, Akamaru leg gets snagged on a small twig and falls on the tree's leaves. Seeing his dog in trouble, Kiba goes back for him just as Sakon prepares to attack the whimpering Akamaru. Once the explosive tag blows up, Kiba, Akamaru, and Sakon are sent falling down the cliff below them.

Naruto hands Shikamaru the casket before going down to save Kiba and Akamaru. He is stopped, however, when he gets kicked away by a man with pale pale skin, vivid green eyes, angular facial features, two scarlet dots on his forehead, and shoulder-length white hair. As the blond crashed into the ground, the man swiftly knocks Shikamaru aside and takes back the casket, just as Tayuya arrived, who looked surprised to see the man.

"Why are you here, Kimimaro?" she asked. "You're body can't-"

"I no longer move using flesh," said the man known as Kimimaro. "I use the power of my mind...I can feel it now...I feel released from the prison of the flesh...as if I can feel a small part of Lord Orochimaru's dream...A shame you were too late, Tayuya. Lord Orochimaru has been forced to transfer to another body because you were all too late."

"Quite a shame, huh?" said Naruto, as he got up, wiping the trickle of blood off his lip. "Hard to believe two chunin, three genin, and a dog foiled your plans." This served to piss off the two Sound Ninjas as Naruto gave them a mocking smirk. Keeping his cool, Kimimaro told Tayuya to keep them busy while he brings the casket to their master. After her teammate leaves with Sasuke, Tayuya pulls out a flute as Shikamaru recovers and appears next to Naruto.

"What, are you about to play the theme for **"TITANIC"** for us?" Naruto asked.

"Naruto...go on ahead," he told Naruto. "As of now, you're the only one who can catch up to that guy."

"No, we can beat her together, Shikamaru." Shikamaru tells Naruto he'd only slow him down, and that, at most, he can fight Tayuya. "Only you can bring Sasuke back now. Now go. That's an order."

"...You better win this fight." With a simple step, Naruto disappears.

 **Hidden Leaf Village**

"They're what!?" yelled Ayane, having been informed of the situation involving Sasuke alongside a distraught Kakashi.

"I had no choice," Tsunade told the young kunoichi. "You know how things are at the moment."

"I was afraid this was going to happen," said Kakashi, who leaves to go after Naruto and Sasuke, Ayane doing the same as Tsunade told them they were needed for another mission, only for Ayane to yell, "Ask someone else!"

 **Konoha Forest**

Reaching Kimimaro, Naruto throws a ki-enhanced fist at him, who blocks it with a shield made of his own bones, a shield the blond destroys, to the Sound Ninja's surprise as he felt the blond's fist connect to his face, sending him flying into an open grassy plain.

"It's impossible for someone to break my shield of bones, which should be as tough as steel."

"Sorry to disappoint, but my fists are tougher than steel, following a battle with a sand-user from the Hidden Sand," Naruto told him, cracking his knuckles. "After that fight, I had to go through intense training that repeatedly fractured the bones in my limbs, but also increased their hardness after recovery, elevating them enough to give me a bit of an advantage in this fight. Now start talking. What does Orochimaru want with Sasuke?"

"...Lord Orochimaru has already mastered the art of immortality. However, it takes time to learn everything. You see, immortality doesn't mean your flesh lives on as is...Before the body decays, another strong body must be obtained as a vessel for the soul," Kimimaro explains as he sets down the casket.

"In short, Sasuke is like a new pair of clothes for your master?"

"Precisely."

"Not really immortality if you need to transfer his soul before the current body dies. Second, I am not letting that happen."

 **[Naruto Shippuden OST - Kokuten]**

Kimimaro grows a sharp bone out of his right palm and thrusts it forward., Naruto sidestepping it before jumping back to avoid the bones protruding from his right arm. Turning to face the casket, Narut goes for it, only to stop in his tracks when the Sound Ninja fires bone bullets from his fingertips. Naruto looked surprised when the ninja sprouts more sharp bones from all over his body.

"Marrow from the X-Men called, she may be suing for copyri-" Naruto continues on the offensive as he avoids being cut or stabbed by the bone protrusions. After kicking him back with a chakra-enhanced dropkick, breaking a few of the bones protruding out Kimimaro's chest, the blond throws a giant ball of compressed air at him, shattering all the bones protruding from the Sound Ninja.

Angered, Kimimaro replaced the broken bone protrusions with new ones before activating his cursed seal and jumping at Naruto and swinging his left leg at him, a bone protruding from the bottom of his foot.

Naruto catches him by the bone protrusion from his foot, breaking it off before throwing it at his chest and kicking it deeper in, knocking him down onto the grass. Getting up, Kimimaro painfully pulls out the bone, angrily yelling in pain after, the wound closing in an instant.

"Should've drunk some milk before you faced me. It's supposed to make your bones stronger, ya know," Naruto joked, keeping his blank expression as he readied himself.

 **[Music End]**

The two stop their mortal combat once the seal keeping Sasuke in his casket dissipates and he emerges.

"Sasuke?"

"He has awoken to a new level of power," said Kimimaro.

"It's good that you're awake Sasuke. Listen, Sakura's worried sick about you, and she asked me to take you back to-" The blond falls silent once Sasuke starts laughing to himself, making the blond uneasy. Sensing his chakra, Naruto noticed Sasuke's power was now just as strong as his. It was even darker than the first time he witnessed Sasuke use the cursed seal, back in the Forest of Death. Right away, Sasuke runs off to meet up with Orochimaru, to Naruto's shock.

"SASUKE!" Before Naruto could go after his teammate, Kimimaro prepares to attack him from behind using a katana made out of bone. He is stopped, however, by the now-arrived and fully recovered Rock Lee, who uses Leaf Whirlwind to knock the Sound Ninja away from the blond.

"Lee?"

"Who?"

"The Hidden Leaf's Blue Beast...IS BACK! The name's Rock Lee!" Looking at Naruto, he told him to go after Sasuke, assuring him that he'll handle Kimimaro. "Leave this guy to me."

"...Lee...Thank you." After Lee gives him a thumbs up for assurance, the blond advanced towards his teammate.

 **With Ayane**

Ayane helps slow down the Secret Triple Threat's poisoning effects on Choji using her ki before Kakashi picks him up and decides to take him back to the village so he can get him medical attention and more Jonin.

"You think you can go on ahead? Save others you find until help arrives?" asked Kakashi.

"Yeah."

 **Valley of the End**

Naruto yells Sasuke's name as he lands on top of the statue of Hashirama Senju, The First Hokage. Across from him was his teammate, who was on top of the statue of Madara Uchiha. Between them, a waterfall.

"Enough running, Sasuke. If you don't stop, I'll take you back by force." Turning around to face the blond, Sasuke told him, "I'd like to see you try...Like I already told Sakura...Leave me alone."

"Pushing others away...For what? Power?" Naruto said, narrowing his eyes at Sasuke. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"That is none of your business," Sasuke told his teammate.

"It is, especially since we're teammates. Even...acquaintances, with a high possibility to become friends."

"Become friends, huh...I have no obligation to be friends with you or anyone. I have my own path to walk, one that has no room for bonds." Naruto calls his response bull, telling him there was always room for bonds. "Just go home, Naruto. You came all the way here for nothing."

"I came here for nothing? Choji, Neji, Kiba, Shikamaru, Lee...They risked their lives for you. Does that not mean anything to you?"

"And what about you? Back before you left the village, you had eyes that told me you wanted nothing to do with the village. You wanted to sever ties with it, just like I am now," Sasuke countered.

"Because it wasn't too late for me. Because it wasn't too late, I understand the importance of bonds. The power bonds give that makes you stronger."

"Did having these so-called bonds make me stronger? Did it allow me to achieve my goal of killing my brother?" Naruto stayed silent, unwilling to answer the question. "I'm going to Orochimaru, and you're not going to stop me." In an instant, Naruto tackled his teammate to the ground, raising his right fist at him.

"Orochimaru killed the Old Man and tried to destroy the village! Do you think he's going to just give you power for free!? He wants you like a new set of clean clothes to walk around in! You might not be able to come back!"

"That's fine, as long as I achieve my goal, that's enough," Sasuke said, making Naruto angrier. "Come to think of it, we never finished our fight up on the hospital roof."

"I did not want that fight..."

"Who cares what you want?" Without hesitation, Sasuke punched Naruto in the stomach, nearly knocking the wind out of him, to the latter's surprise, punching him the second time to knock him into the water below. Looking down at his hands, Sasuke looked surprised by his new power before smiling to himself.

 **"What is this power? This power...surging inside me...** So this is what Orochimaru was talking about. My body's adapting already! So much power so quickly, enough to catch up to Naruto. Once the cursed seal is unsealed, how powerful will I be?" Down below, Naruto gets up on the water's surface, coughing up some water.

 _ **"You're going to have a lot of trouble with this fight unless you use my power, Naruto. You're kidding yourself if you think your power alone can stop him."**_

"Shut...up..." Naruto told the fox as he stood up and glared at his teammate. "It seems I'll need to get even serious with him."

 **[FATE/STAY NIGHT [HEAVEN'S FEEL] II. LOST BUTTERFLY OST - come on, make your move]**

Naruto runs at Sasuke at blind speed, dodging the volley of fireballs he spewed from his mouth. Getting close enough to kick his opponent up into the air, quickly producing two clones that kick him higher into the air before the original appears from above and brings his left fist down on his face. Sasuke recovers quick enough to cross block it as Naruto sends them both crashing into the water below.

The Uchiha spins his body, sweeping Naruto off his feet with a kick, the blond catching himself and keeping a distance between him and Sasuke, who immediately closed it and swung his left knee at the blond's face.

Naruto puts his right arm in front of him to block it before blocking Sasuke's right foot with his forearm and ducking a punch. He retaliates by going in a boxing pose and hitting his with a right hook, then a left one, knocking Sasuke back before performing a ki-enhanced superman punch. While the Uchiha blocks it, it breaks his defense, leaving him open. Transitioning into a handstand, Sasuke kicks his feet forward at Naruto, who blocks a few, getting hit a couple of times before avoiding a helicopter kick. Weaving hand signs, Naruto fires off a few small blasts of wind chakra from his mouth, Sasuke dodging all of them.

"Beast Tearing Gale Palm!" Naruto infuses his right hand with and condenses a mass amount of wind-chakra to form a massive demonic-like claw punch Sasuke, knocking him into the Madara statue's foot.

"Did that wake you up?" Naruto asked as Sasuke got up.

"I've been wide awake," he told the blond. "Awake to who I am for a while, even while I was trying to be like all of you...Dreaming about a future that isn't going to come!" Naruto went on the defensive as Sasuke comes at him, throwing punches and kicks that were far faster and stronger than yesterday as a few manage to hit the blond during the assault.

"That's why I left! What's why I seek power!" Breaking through Naruto's block with an upward swing of his right fist, Sasuke kicks Naruto hard in the stomach, cracking two of his left ribs as he sent him flying into Hashirama's statue's foot. "My dream isn't in the future. My dream...is rooted only in the past."

 **[Music End]**

 **With Ayane**

 **Konoha Forest**

Checking on Neji, Ayane notes how strong his will was despite the hole in his left shoulder. After repairing the hole, Ayane told Neji to wait until help arrived.

"Thanks...Please hurry...to Naruto..."

 **With Naruto**

 **Valley of the End**

After coughing up some blood, Naruto painfully got up, clutching the area his cracked ribs were as his bones healed.

"That was a hell of a kick," he told Sasuke.

"That's because I intend to kill you, Naruto. After all...I consider you...my closest friend." The blond's eyes widened when Sasuke called him his closest friend, compared to himself, who considered him nothing more than a teammate and acquaintance.

"If I'm your friend...Then why?

"That is why. You being my closest friend is reason enough for me to kill you." Running at each other, Naruto throws a right punch as Sasuke threw a left one, both opponents catch each other's fist with their opposite hands. The blond headbutts Sasuke, knocking him back a bit, though not before the Uchiha swiped a kunai from his pouch and threw it at him, though Naruto deflects it with a shuriken. As Sasuke charged a Chidori, Naruto forms a Rasengan into his right hand before they clashed, the force of both attacks sending them falling back before they splashed down into the water below them, floating upward a few seconds following the clash.

 **"Right now, all he can think about...All his energy, all his mind... is focused on how to kill me..."** Getting up, Naruto noticed that his former teammate had activated his cursed seal.

"Did you know, Naruto...When two shinobi are of a high enough level, they can read each other's thoughts, through no more than a trade of blows...They don't need to say a word." Naruto stayed silent as he stared down the Uchiha. "Tell me, Naruto. Do you know my thoughts? Can you tell me...What's on my mind!?" As soon as Naruto dodged Sasuke's Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Technique, he found Sasuke's left foot connect to his right cheek before his body skids back on the water's surface. As Sasuke laid a beatdown on Naruto, the latter started pondering his thoughts.

 **"He calls me a friend, yet he wants to kill me because of it..."** At this point, Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the collar of his jacket as he prepared another Chidori in his left hand. **"Not only are you trying to kill me, you think nothing of our comrades risking their lives to bring you home, to save you from Orochimaru..."** With a thrust from his left hand, Sasuke pierced through Naruto's right shoulder, who notes hot he missed his heart due to the blond moving his hand away at the last second.

"You're still out a shoulder and a lung. You can't use your right arm, and you can't even breathe properly. Forget about using signs, or your techniques. That's all over." Having said that, Sasuke prepares to choke the life out of Naruto.

 **"Are you really that willing to rid yourself of us, of the village? You must truly be that selfish..."** Grabbing Sasuke's left wrist with his left hand, he applies enough pressure to crack the bones in it, forcing Sasuke to keep his distance from him as red chakra and purple ki envelop the blond.

 **"What!? Red chakra!? And...I'm sensing some other power. A dark one...Where did they come from?"** As Naruto focused on his anger from almost being killed by the Uchiha, and from the mistakes he made from not doing more for the Uchiha, his wounds heal in an instant, which includes the large hole in his right shoulder. Following this, Naruto's hair turned a glowing red, his eyes turned red and slitted, and his body was enveloped by black, red, and purple ki.

 _ **"If you can't be swayed with words or by the lives risked to rescue you, how about I convince you otherwise? BY FORCE!? If I have to break you if it means returning you to the Hidden Leaf and way from Orochimaru, then so be it..."**_ Naruto told Sasuke in a calm but dark and demonic manner.

"What are you..."

 _ **"MESSATSU!"**_

 **天**

 **ED1: Self-Inflicted Achromatic (自傷無色)(Cover) by Raon Lee**


	12. Chapter 12 (FINALE)

**Note: In one specific moment in this chapter, the Nine-Tailed Fox will mention fighting Dragons, Gods, and Monsters. This is a reference to the Great War in High School DxD, a war he and the other tailed beasts participated in.**

 **One last thing, yes, Naruto's hair turns red when using the more of the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra. It's a little change that's a bit different from most fics where it's just a chakra cloak. The orange parts of his jacket will also turn glowing red.**

* * *

 **OP1: Overwhelming Vivid Days by Nanami Yoshi**

 _ **"MESSATSU!"**_ Quickly weaving hand signs, Sasuke fires a large fireball at Naruto. The now-red-haired Naruto lifts one knee and "glides" along the ground with his eyes aglow, going through the fireball and appearing in front of the shocked Uchiha and uppercuts him into the air, instantly jumping up and knocking him into the water by bringing both of his fists down on his head.

Recovering from the attack, Sasuke looks up to see the red-haired Chunin charging a ball of red ki, dodging it as Naruto fires it, the attack hitting the water before exploding, splashing the Uchiha. Looking back up, Sasuke sees that Naruto had disappeared. The red-haired Naruto appears from above, his right leg arched back before he swung it around and delivered a strong vertical roundhouse kick to Sasuke's face, knocking him onto the water's surface.

 **"Just what is this power he's using? It's like my cursed seal's, but more malicious..."** In the air, Naruto formed a basketball-sized ball of dark ki and hurled it at the Uchiha. Firing a large fireball at the ball of energy, the Uchiha looked shocked when the ball destroyed the attack, jumping back to avoid it as it explodes, knocking him into the Hashirama statue's left leg. Appearing in front of Sasuke, Naruto effortlessly caught his fist, clenching it tight as Sasuke screamed in pain, getting some of the wind knocked out of him when Naruto knees him in the stomach and throws him into the air, finishing with a powerbomb, sending both himself and Sasuke into the water below.

Underwater, Sasuke tries to throw a punch, only to miss as Naruto moves back to avoid it, retaliating with a powerful uppercut that sends the Uchiha flying into the side of the waterfall, next to Hashirama's statue, the Uchiha's cursed seal deactivating. As Sasuke tries to get up, he is stopped by Naruto, who grabs him by the throat with his left hand.

 _ **"One last chance, wake the hell up. If you don't stop this nonsense of yours, I will go on my promise to break you...and when you're mangled enough to not fight back, I will drag you back to the Hidden Leaf,"**_ Naruto threatened.

"You crack me up...You have no parents, no siblings...What can you possibly know about me? You were alone to begin with! What can you know about me!? HUH!?" This pain's born from my family bonds! How could you ever know what it means to lose anything!?" Despite being overcome with anger, Naruto hesitated after hearing what Sasuke had to say, allowing the latter to get a kick into his stomach, knocking him down to the ground. To his dismay, Naruto recovered and landed on his feet. As the blond calmed a bit, the ki surrounding him disappeared.

"...It's true, I don't know a thing about having a family. Never...But whenever I'm around Pervy Sage or Iruka, or Kureha...I get it. Kureha...She's kind of like a mother to me. Pervy Sage is my...Dad...or cool but perverted uncle. And Iruka's like an older brother. Yeah, we have a lot of problems with each other, Sasuke, but somehow we make Team 7 work, even when we dislike each other. I may not have said it or acknowledged it, but...somewhere along the way...I considered you my friend too." Sasuke's eyes widened, having heard how Naruto's true thoughts about him. Now...even with all this going on...I still see you as my friend, my annoying brother even. One I have to stop and bring back." Taking out his headband, the Uchiha wraps it around his forehead as his Sharingan fully develops.

"If that's what you think, then all I have to do...is sever that bond."

"Tell me, then...What's with the headband?" asked Naruto, Sasuke admitting the blond was strong in his own right.

"You're like me. You understand the pain of being alone. And...Pain is what makes people strong. If I cut this bond of ours, I'll become stronger. Much stronger. I'll fight you as my equal now. But...This time...You won't get a scratch on my forehead."

 **[Naruto Shippuden OST - Heavy Violence]**

"I guess the chatting's done now," Naruto joked. All we have left...is the fight." Sasuke wasted no time in throwing six shurikens at Naruto who managed to catch them before they hit him and threw them back at the Uchiha. Sasuke dodges them in quick succession as the red-haired chunin ran at him and threw his right fist forward. With his matured Sharingan, Sasuke could keep up with Naruto's enhanced speed. Every punch, every kick, Sasuke would either dodge it or counter it with his own hits before Naruto knocked him away with a whirlwind ninpo.

Sasuke's feet skid back on the water's surface before he came to a halt, ducking Naruto's spin kick and delivering a kick to the latter's stomach, knocking him on his back as he made a splash. Before Sasuke could approach, Naruto used wind magic to blow at the water under the Uchiha's feet, encasing them in ice, to his surprise. Naruto gets back up and punched him hard in the stomach with his right fist, having infused it with reinforcement magic, his ki, and his fox chakra, knocking him into the waterfall. This attack had a drawback, inflicting intense pain into Naruto's right arm as his hair goes back to being blond, his eyes reverting back to blue.

 **[Music End]**

"That was reckless of me to combine three different energies together..." Naruto told himself as his right arm tingled a bit. "If someone were to do something similar to this, they'd break their arm right then and there. I wonder how long that punch will keep him-" Before he could finish, he felt a large surge of power emanating from the waterfall. Out of it came an angry Sasuke, who had finally assumed his Cursed Seal Level 2 State.

"Give me a break..."

"You're really something special if you have all those tricks up your sleeves. But in the end...I'm still more special!"

"Do you really get that high off yourself?" asked Naruto, sounding annoyed, all while thinking, **"I've gone and done it now..."**

 **With Ayane**

 **Konoha Forest**

"What happened here?" Ayane asked Shikamaru and Temari, their whole surroundings leveled, cut trees toppled over. under one of them was an unconscious Tayuya.

"I sicked a weasel on the enemy," Temari responds.

"Must be one strong weasel...Should I finish the job?"

"Actually, should Naruto be unsuccessful in bringing back Sasuke, we can at least have some information on Orochimaru from her that the Hokage would want," Shikamaru told the Hajinmon kunoichi, who tells him she wasn't going to help lift the tree off the Sound Ninja, needing to go help Naruto.

"Help will be arriving soon. Your friends Choji, Neji, and that dog owner are in bad shape. But they will live." As Shikamaru sighed a breath of relief, Ayane went on ahead.

 **With Naruto**

 **Valley of the End**

Sasuke flies straight at Naruto with his hand-like wings, grabs him by his throat, takes flight, and smashed the blond's face against the side of the cliff, dragging him through it and throwing him at the Madara Statue, destroying part of the statue's chest. Getting up, Naruto tries to weave hand signs to perform jutsus, but the intense pain in his right arm prevents him from doing so. Naruto jumps out of the way went Sasuke flies straight towards him and throws a left punch, shattering the spot the blond was standing on earlier, some of the stones flying at him and cutting his left arm and legs. Once more, the blond chunin dodged another punch, only to be knocked back by Sasuke's left-wing.

Getting up, he sees Sasuke flying at him, ready to slam his fists down on him. Unable to get his defense up in time, Naruto forms an air grenade into his left hand and blows it up point-blank, both stunning and knocking Sasuke back at the risk of injuring himself, his left hand being damage, some of the skin on his left forearm and palm were blown off from the explosion.

"What's wrong Naruto? Are you running out of moves!? Getting tired!? Huh!?"

"I can do this all day if I wanted to..." he responds before being kicked in the face. When he tries to get up, Naruto's neck gets grabbed by Sasuke, who proceeds to end the blond by drowning him.

 **[Dragon Ball Super: Broly OST - Prelude to a Comeback]**

 **Nine-Tails Seal**

 _ **"Heh...You are having trouble with that Uchiha brat...After all that talk about fighting with your own power, he's using something given to him by a snake to achieve a power greater than what you can overcome by yourself."**_

"I don't need your power..." he told the demon, sounding stubborn. "I'll handle this without having to rely on an evil power like-"

 _ **"Don't fool yourself, runt. You need my power...My rage to even the playing field."**_ Having said that, red chakra leaks from the cage and envelops the blond, who tries to get it off of him, failing as it covers him completely. _**"This power has fought Dragons...Gods...and Monsters...use it with great abandon."**_ Naruto screams in pain as his hair and eye color turns red again.

 _ **"That's it...Let this chakra overtake you."**_

 **Valley of the End**

Abruptly opening his eyes, the red-haired Naruto lets out a roar as red chakra envelops his body, the orange parts of his jacket turning a luminescent red. A concussive force pushes Sasuke back as the water around the red-haired chunin boils when he gets up, the injuries inflicted on his left arm healing within seconds as the chakra cloak surrounding him formed a tail and two fox ears.

 **"That chakra-"**

In an instant, Naruto forms a large chakra fist and punched Sasuke with it, cracking the Uchiha's ribs, making the latter spit out some blood. Looking at him, Sasuke's eyes widened when Naruto forms a demonic smirk on his face, showing him his demon fangs. Clenching his teeth in anger, the Uchiha flaps his wings to stop himself before firing a fireball at Naruto. It proves ineffective as the cloak protects him, preventing the attack from hitting him.

Running on all fours, Naruto appears above Sasuke and swings a karate chop down as he lands behind him, leaving a large diagonal cut on Sasuke's back, hearing a scream of pain come out of the Uchiha's mouth. Turning around, Sasuke angrily throws a kick at him, knocking the blond back, though the cloak absorbs the force, leaving the red-haired chunin unscathed.

As the power in Naruto grows stronger, the dark ki from earlier returns, answering the power-possessed chunin's desire to win. When Sasuke throws six chakra-infused shurikens at him, Naruto's chakra tail swats it away before he rushed at Sasuke on all fours and lunged at him, swinging his chakra claws at him. The Uchiha avoids the claws and aims to knee Naruto in the stomach, only to have it caught by a chakra hand. Naruto's left fist gets caught by Sasuke's right hand when he tries to punch him, the two staring each other down.

 **[Music End** **]**

 **With Ayane**

 **Konoha Forest**

Ayane looked up at Kimimaro's dead corpse, Gaara and Lee resting their backs against the tree behind her. Turning to face the two ninjas, she told them to head back to the village.

"What about you?" asked Lee.

"I still need to go help with the Sasuke situation. Hopefully, I'm not too-" Ayane stops when she feels a drop of water fall on her head, looking up, she, Gaara, and Lee immediately find themselves being pelted by light rain. Sensing a large rise in powers, Ayane tells the two to get a move on back to the Hidden Leaf before continuing her mission.

 **Valley of the End**

Following an intense fight that lasted four minutes, the two ninjas found themselves on opposite sides of the waterfall. Sasuke on top of Madara's statue, and Naruto on Hashirama's, the light rain pouring down on them. The ninjas found themselves reaching their limits, their bodies going heavy due to the overwhelming power they weren't used to using.

"It's about time we wrapped up this duel," said Sasuke, charging a white and black Chidori as Naruto formed a red and black Rasengan. Charging at each other, the two clash their techniques. The power of both techniques envelops them in a sphere of chakra.

Inside, as the techniques disperse, some of the lightning from the Chidori hits Naruto in his eyes, blinding him as Sasuke strikes his friend in the chest. As he slowly loses consciousness, Naruto scratched the Uchiha's headband.

 **"Looks like you win this battle...Sasuke..."**

 **With Ayane**

Nearing the valley, Ayane feels a powerful force push her back, doing her best to resist it long enough for it to stop.

"What was that?" Worry showed on the kunoichi's face as she hurried to the scene.

Sasuke looks down at a defeated and unconscious Naruto, the area around his eyes having burns from the lightning his Chidori gave off. As his headband falls and lands on his friend's chest, Sasuke starts coughing blood.

Hearing someone's feet land on the rocky ground a few feet away from him, he turns to see Ayane's shocked eyes directed at Naruto's defeated body, rage forming inside of the kunoichi after seeing the state the blond was in.

In an instant, Ayane ran at Sasuke and sliced off the Uchiha's left arm with her Fuma Kodachi. Sasuke reels back in pain as blood gushed out of his severed arm. The Hajinmon kunoichi then kicked him to the ground before preparing to finish him off. Before she could, Kabuto arrives and takes him away by teleporting, receiving a diagonal cut on his face from Ayane's right blade.

Ayane heavily breathed as the rain poured down on her, her breathing slowly returning to normal before she puts away her kodachis, turning around and going over to check up on Naruto after, Kakashi and Pakkun arriving five seconds later.

"Ayane, where's Sasuke?" Kakashi asked the girl.

"Gone..." she told him, clenching her fists in anger.

"I see...So we were too late..." Noticing Sasuke's severed left arm, he asked her what happened. Ayane does not answer him. "In any case, we should head back. The Hajinmon kunoichi simply nods before putting Naruto on her back and following the Jonin back to the Hidden Leaf Village.

"I'm sorry I was too late," she told the unconscious blond. "You must have given it your all..."

"To fight in the Valley of the End...They say the river was born from a scar...left by a pair of warriors, long ago..." Kakashi said, educating the kunoichi on the small bit of history. "When you watch the river flow by...it's like it's showing me that the battles, the fights, will never cease. Like the two men who built the Hidden Leaf, whose statues were built in their honor...Naruto and Sasuke...As long as there are two people with opposing paths and ideals, the cycle will continue..."

 **With Kabuto**

"Damn that Mugen Tenshin kunoichi...She damaged Lord Orochimaru's body greatly," said Orochimaru's right-hand man, who had managed to stop the bleeding before carrying the unconscious Uchiha back to his master. "We'll have to build him a new arm, though Lord Orochimaru won't like it..."

 **With Kureha**

 **Konoha Hospital**

Kureha and Momiji had rushed into the room Naruto was in, seeing him in bed, along with Kiba, Neji, and Choji. Shikamaru, the Sand Siblings, Kakashi, and Hinata were in the room, having heard of their failure to bring Sasuke back. They move aside as Kureha caressed Naruto's face in a motherly manner, Momiji watching her from behind.

"How bad are his injuries?" asked Kureha, directing it towards Kakashi.

"He...Naruto...The injuries around his eyes have rendered him blind. What's more, whatever power he used...it has done a great deal of damage to his chakra network." Everyone's eyes widened after hearing the extent of the blond's injuries.

 _"No...No way..."_ said a teary-eyed Hinata, who gets consoled by Momiji.

"The doctors say his body wasn't ready to use the power he was wielding. It's only because of the fox inside of him that his injuries are healing," Kakashi adds. "The good news is that the damage to his eyes and his chakra network is temporary, though it will take a couple or more years for the damage to fully repair itself if you include rest and proper healing techniques."

"In other words, Naruto Uzumaki has been tremendously weakened," said Kankuro, Kakashi nodding his head.

"Right now, he's going to sleep for three days...All we can do now is hope that he wakes up." As everyone leaves, Momiji noticed Kureha wasn't leaving.

"You go back to Naruto's house. I'll stay with him a little longer," she told her sister, who says, "Take as much time as you need," before leaving, closing the door behind her.

"I wonder why Ayane didn't come to see you after dropping you off here. She must be out on another of your Hokage's missions...I know you're not awake, but...I cannot imagine how you must feel after failing to bring back your friend...Don't worry Naruto...As soon as you recover, you'll get him back, no matter how long it takes...I know you will...I'll see you tomorrow. I love you, Naruto." After planting a kiss on his forehead, Kureha gets up to leave.

 **With Ayane**

Late into the night, as Kiba, Choji, and Neji rest in their beds, Ayane snuck in through the window beside the unconscious blond.

"You are the most reckless people I've ever met," she told Naruto before sighing in annoyance. "What were you thinking, mixing all those powers together? Not only do I not have a good sparring partner, but we also can't have a rematch...Worst of all..."

 **[Tokyo Ghoul JACK OST - Nine]**

"Worst of all...you scared me...you made me scared for you. When Sasuke stood over your body like that, I almost thought I lost you. If it wasn't for the thing inside you, you would have...Why am I telling this to someone who's not even conscious? You're not going to hear it anyway...Though who am I to complain? I can't tell you these things unless you're sleeping..." Taking out a vial containing a red-colored medicine, the kunoichi told the unconscious blond of the medicine Genra had shown her how to make.

"It took me a while to gather the necessary ingredients required to make it. You should be able to regain consciousness sometime tomorrow." Pulling the cork off, Ayane noticed one error: Naruto couldn't drink it himself in his unconscious state.

"How am I supposed to..." Ayane turns red, realizing what she needed to do to help him drink it. Once she popped the liquid into her mouth, the girl lowered her face down to Naruto's level before helping the unconscious blond drink it by kissing him. Even after she finished feeding him the medicine, Ayane couldn't help herself as she savored the feeling of her lips on Naruto's. Finally parting, she heavily breathes to herself before getting up.

"You can be quite a handful...Though I'm one to talk...Take as much time as you need to recuperate, okay?" she said to the blond, preparing to leave through the window. Turning to see the blond's sleeping face, the kunoichi says goodnight to him, closing the window behind her on the way out.

 **[Music End]**

 **With Naruto**

 **The next day**

 **Early Morning**

Opening his eyes, Naruto sat up from his bed, looking at the sleeping Kiba, Choji, and Neji. Right away he noticed his vision was blurry, squinting his eyes in order to try and focus.

"The doctors said you were supposed to be out for three days," said Jiraiya, having just arrived for a visit.

"The doctors thought wrong," Naruto responds. The toad sage informs Naruto of the damage done to his chakra network and his vision, the blond silently listening without saying a word, taking the news well despite how bad it was.

"You can't use your chakra or your ki for a pretty long while. Your magic circuits, however, will still work. I had Tatsuya look over the records I sent him before I got here, just to be sure. Shouldn't be a problem, if I must say so myself. We ARE leaving this village soon."

"Yeah..."

"...So you failed to rescue Sasuke huh?

"Yeah...Does Sakura know?"

"Yes. Your friend Shikamaru told her about it," answered Jiraiya. "I saw her on the way out of your room. She wanted me to tell you, "The next time you go after Sasuke, she's coming with you." Naruto responds by telling Jiraiya if she's planning on coming with him the next time he goes after the Uchiha, she'll need to improve herself within the three years he was going to be gone.

"...Pervy Sage. Is it true that Orochimaru wants Sasuke as a vessel?" Jiraiya's eyes widened in surprise before they narrowed.

"It sounds like you know the reason Orochimaru wants Sasuke."

"I do, and from the moment one of the Sound Ninjas, Kimimaro was his name I think, came to help his comrades, I could tell Orochimaru was desperate, even when he wasn't present. Why else would that guy come?" Jiraiya couldn't help but wonder how accurate Naruto's observation was, seeing as how even the tiniest of information could tell a lot for him.

"Based on that, I can tell that the team and I managed to piss him off by forcing him into another body before Sasuke could arrive at his hideout."

"Geez, you should become a detective...Naruto..."

"What?"

"This is just me, telling you this out of concern for you...I think you should forget about Sasuke." Naruto, while surprised, didn't show it when Jiraiya said those last three words, deciding to listen on to what the sage had to say, knowing he says things he needed to hear out of concern. "Sasuke went to Orochimaru willingly. It doesn't matter what you do for him, he won't change. I've seen people come and go, most of them being ninjas, and Sasuke's of the same cloth as Orochimaru. It's the tragic path of a self-righteous fool."

"Maybe so...But Sasuke is my te-...He's my friend."

"Friend?"

"...Yeah, I know, ridiculous that someone, who got me this damaged, is still my friend. Maybe it's the wrong choice, and yes it's foolish to believe I can bring him back, but it's my choice, and if I have to do it on my own and become an enemy of the village because of it, it's fine by me."

"Are you sure? You'd actually become an enemy of the village, just to bring a friend back?" Jiraiya asked.

"You know me well enough. I don't have to answer that," Naruto responds, staring down Pervy Sage.

"Spoken like a fool...the good kind of course," Jiraiya said, a smile on his face. "We leave in three days instead of next month like I said. For now, let's get you out of this hospital. Not really a fan of them."

"Sounds good...Did you bring my phone and earphones?" Jiraiya responds by showing them to him.

 **With Orochimaru**

 **Orochimaru's Hideout**

Orochimaru screams in anger as he swipes the medicine and research off the table behind him. He cursed Ayane for cutting off Sasuke's left arm, damaging his perfect vessel. He would need to have Kabuto build a new arm for the Uchiha to compensate for his failure to retrieve Sasuke before the damage was done. He needed him back on his feet and ready. His future lied within his new body. Once he made Sasuke body his own, he vowed to hunt down the Hajinmon kunoichi and kill her.

 **With Naruto**

 **Hidden Leaf Village**

Naruto selects a song to listen to on his earphones as he made his way towards Ramen Ichiraku to meet with Kureha and Momiji. Naruto's attire consisted of a pair of black glasses, a white t-shirt with a blue moon, on the top left side, a blue hoodie, and grey jeans. Making a turn, Naruto finds himself sighing as Hibachi and his friends surrounded him, arrogant smiles on their faces.

"This getting pretty cliche, ya know..."

"Time for some payback," said Hibachi. "I overheard the doctors say how you couldn't use your chakra anymore. This makes it easier to-" Before Hibachi can finish, Naruto roundhouse kicked him in the face before making quick work of his friends, all while his hands were in his pockets.

"It's only temporary you dolt. Just because I can't use chakra doesn't mean I can't still defend myself. You can summon clones, maybe even bring out the ninja tools you have with you or stole from your parents, I'll still kick your asses, with nothing but the body I honed to fight. To try and gang up on me with your group, especially when I can't use chakra...Never thought you'd be more pathetic than you already are." Hibachi and his friends had looks of fear on them as Naruto turned around to leave. To his annoyance, Hibachi pulled out a kunai and tried to attack him, only to be stopped by Hinata, who disarms the boy and strikes one of his tenketsu. Seeing the Hyuga look at him with anger in her eyes, Hibachi and his friends finally leave.

"I could've just dodged it and kicked him in the face the second time," Naruto told Hinata, who decided to walk with him to meet with Kureha.

"I know...You scared me, and some of the others when we heard the extent of your injuries," Hinata confessed.

"Sasuke wasn't really making it easy, ya know."

"...You're leaving earlier than planned."

"Yes, I am," Naruto responds. Hinata looked sad by this as they walked together. "I'll be back, just in three years, maybe less. We can still talk by vid chat, and...if you want, I can have you and the others come visit me during December." Hinata looked surprised when Naruto told her she and their friends could visit him outside of the village and the Ninja Nations.

"You can do that?"

"Of course. You don't mind if it's only half the December days, do you?" Hinata tells Naruto even though it's only for the second half of December, it was good enough for her and others. "Just make sure you guys don't use any chakra while you're out of the nations." Arriving at Ramen Ichiraku, the blond thanks her for keeping him company. When asked if she wanted to come and eat with him and Kureha, Hinata, while she wanted to, declined, promising Hanabi she'd go out and try a new dumpling place that opened with her.

"I guess I'll see you later?"

"Yeah...Have a good evening Hinata."

"Before I go...I have to say, the glasses look suits you well," said the blushing Hinata, Naruto thanking her before he went inside the restaurant.

 **Ramen Ichiraku**

"Mmmm, so good!" said Momiji, finishing the remaining noodles after before drinking the soup alongside her sister and Naruto, setting their bowls down at the same time and ordering more ramen.

"Going to a university in Tokyo...Will you be okay there?" Naruto assures Kureha, she had nothing to worry about, a smile on his face. "I can take care of myself and handle university life."

"Make sure to make new friends while you're there, okay?" Naruto promised her he'll try, though he tells her he might not make a lot. "That should be fine, as long as you make friends you can rely on and trust."

"I know," Naruto told her.

"And make sure you do well in your studies and don't neglect your ninja training. Don't forget you can make both your chakra and ki stronger when you train your body. Just because you can't use them now doesn't mean you can-"

"Kureha, I'll be fine," Naruto calmly interrupts.

"...I know...I just can't help but worry about you," Kureha said.

"I don't mind," said Naruto.

"I'll try to find time to visit as I promised, maybe visit you three days a month instead of the one, and take a whole month off in December." Naruto had a very happy look on his face, telling her, "That'd be great!"

"Only when it's Kureha do you light up," said a smiling Momiji, just as their ramen arrived.

"I am like a mother to him, aren't I?" Kureha asked her younger sister.

"I guess that makes Momiji my aunt," said Naruto, Momiji telling him she was too young to be his aunt. "Then...Momiji nee-chan?" Momiji turned bright red from being called an older sister by the bespectacled blond.

"Just Big Sister Momiji, and simply Momiji, is fine." Momiji smiles to herself at the thought of having a little brother as the three start digging into their ramen.

 **Naruto's House**

 **Naruto's Room**

Since Ayane was staying over, Kureha and Momiji had decided to sleep in the guest rooms. As the two got ready for bed, Ayane noticed and open a notebook on the desk. Picking it up and taking a good look at it, she found out Naruto had been busy drawing ideas for a suit he was going to wear, along with the materials he would need. Seeing this, a blushing Naruto took it out of her hands.

"No one's supposed to look at it..." said the embarrassed blond.

"They're just drawings and idea for a...ninja-suit? Ninja tights?"

"It's a suit, and a work in progress," he answered, closing it before putting it in a locked drawer. "I just got started on it after I came back from the hospital."

"Must say, the design looks cool and well thought out. It's more...you. Though I'm skeptical about the utility belt, it's your thing, I won't say anything bad about it."

"...Ayane?"

"Yes?"

"...I won't be in the village for three years, maybe a bit more than that if the situation calls for it. If possible, do you think you can help out my friends once in a while? Hidden Leaf as well?" he asked the kunoichi.

"You're asking me to watch over your friends and help with doing missions for the Hidden Leaf?" Naruto tells her she didn't have to do it if she didn't want to. He just thought he'd ask her.

"Sure, I can help them out once in a while," she answered.

"Great, I appreciate this, Ayane, and you can stay at my house whenever you're in the village. Just...Be wary of Danzo and the elders." Ayane lets Naruto know he didn't have to tell her twice and that she's always cautious when she's around them. "Alright, you take the bed and-" Before he could say anything, the kunoichi grabs him and pulls him onto the bed with her.

"Let's share it for tonight..." When asked why Ayane told him she had a bad dream last night and she needed someone to be here for her.

"What sort of bad dream?" Ayane buried her flushed face into Naruto's back, telling him, "Just do it, okay?" She couldn't tell him she had a dream where the blond had died from his battle with Sasuke unless she was ready to die of embarrassment. With a smile, Naruto agreed to share the bed with her before they fell asleep.

For the next three days, Naruto didn't go on any missions. Instead, he stayed at home, working on drawing ideas for his new suit alongside Ayane, who had some ideas for offensive and defensive capabilities, as well as ideas for new tech shurikens, only going out when Kureha and Momiji went out to shop for dinner, and when Shikamaru asked him to come to visit Choji, Neji, and Kiba at the hospital, who were kept there for psyche evaluation and therapy. On all three days, Naruto would fight and win against Hibachi and his friends, even when they learned substitution and the basic Fireball Technique.

As for Tsunade, she had Inoichi Yamanaka and Ibiki Morino handle Tayuya, the only member of the Sound Four who survived, hoping to find out Orochimaru's location and bring Sasuke back. Once they got what they needed from the Sound Ninja, Tsunade had her sent to the Konoha Correctional Facility, where she remains. After planning a raid on Orochimaru's hideout, to their dismay, Orochimaru had left it with Kabuto and Sasuke, taking all their research with them, leaving only their subjects, all of them considered failures by the snake.

 **Three Days Later**

 **Morning**

 **Village Gate**

Walking towards the gate with Jiraiya, Kureha, and Momiji, Naruto noticed Shikamaru conversing with the Sand Siblings, mainly Temari. Noticing the blond, Gaara says hello to him.

"On your way out, huh Naruto Uzumaki?"

"Yes, you as well, Gaara?" The red-haired Sand Ninja nods yes to him. "Thanks for helping Lee, Kiba, and Shikamaru. You three really came to their rescue."

"I owe Rock Lee a lot, especially since I gave him those injuries," said Gaara.

"If anything like what you boys experienced ever comes up, let us know. We'll help you all out. You as well, Crybaby," said Temari, directing the last sentence towards Shikamaru.

"Just one word too far," said Shikamaru, letting out a small smile on his face. "That's what makes girls so weird..."

"Alright, Gaara, Kankuro, let's go home." Nodding their heads, the two brothers followed Temari back to their village as the others watched them leave.

"Is there something going on between you and the Temari girl?" Kureha asked Shikamaru, sounding curious.

"Please, a girl like her?" said Shikamaru. Naruto adds in on it, telling him Temari looked like his type.

"You too, Naruto?" The blond simply nods, the light shining on his glasses as he did it. "You two are something when you're together...Did you see everyone before you came here?"

"I said my byes to Hinata, then I visited the hospital and said bye to Choji, Neji, and Kiba. After that, I said bye to Iruka and Konohamaru at the academy. Sakura, I couldn't find her, so I left a note on the front door of her house. After that, I said bye to Kakashi, Lee, and Shino. Shino wasn't too happy about being left out."

"Do-Don't remind me," said the Nara boy, recalling the insect-user being not too happy with him as well. After letting out a sigh, Shikamaru gives Naruto a smile, telling him, "Good luck in your studies, Naruto. I wish I could come with you, but you know how it is. Duty and all. Though I am looking forward to visiting in December."

"When that day comes, I'm buying dinner for all of us." The Nara boy tells him he looked forward to that, adding how he and the others will order all the good stuff when that day comes.

"Of course," said Naruto. "Catch you later, Shikamaru." As soon as Shikamaru left, Naruto told Kureha and Momiji he was going to leave now, the latter two each giving him a hug before he finally left with Jiraiya.

"He's off..." said Momiji, Kureha nodding her head yes. Watching the blond as he walked farther away from them, Kureha smiled as the wind lightly blew her hair to the left.

 **Elsewhere**

In a cave with several stalagmites, all the members of Akatsuki met up via holograms.

 **"The last time we all gathered like this...was when Orochimaru left our family. Seven long years..."**

 **"And now Orochimaru has the Sharingan."**

 **"So it's your brother, Itachi?"** the older Uchiha stayed silent as the members continued their conversation.

 **"Don't worry...Hmm...I'll finish off Orochimaru soon enough...Hmm...We have only three years left...Just out of curiosity, why don't we go off and capture the Nine-Tails? He's leaving the Hidden Leaf, considered a safe place for a jinchuuriki. He'll be open to-"**

 **"It won't work,"** said one of the members, assumed to be the leader. **"We cannot. Even if we all go after him, it'll be impossible. Believe it or not,** **the world is filled with people with abilities we can't comprehend...Going after the Nine-Tails in a place we can't understand or hope to come back from would put everything in jeopardy."**

 **ED1: Self-Inflicted Achromatic (自傷無色)(Cover) by Raon Lee**

* * *

 **Less than a month later**

 **Tokyo, Japan**

 **Tokyo U**

Walking on university grounds during a rainy day, holding an umbrella, Naruto could only sigh as he walks toward the dorm he was going to live in for the next two and a half to three years.

"The first day here and it's raining..."

"Look out!" yelled a girl from behind. Reacting quick, Naruto caught the girl in his arms, removing her from her bike before she can crash into him, the bike harmlessly plopping on some wet grass after.

"Thanks for catching me."

"No problem...Hmm?" Looking at the girl, he takes notice of her features, mainly her pink hair and green eyes. Her hair and her clothes were a bit wet, letting him know she didn't have an umbrella. Upon further inspection, Naruto's eyes widened.

"You're-" Looking up at him, the girl looked equally surprised. They recalled the first time they met, which was several months ago, taking an exam that would allow them to go to a university or college of their choice depending on how well they scored. The girl had lost her ticket for the train, Naruto having to pay for a new one and letting her ride with him. The two then struck a conversation with each other on the way to the exam. The blond remembered how she put faith in him changing how the Hidden Leaf and its people saw him, even though she was unaware of his identity as a ninja and didn't know anything about him.

"You're the girl who lost her train ticket."

 **Three minutes later**

"So you passed the exams and decided to come here?" asked Naruto, who offered to share his umbrella with the girl as she carries her bike.

"Yep Yep," she said in a happy tone. "I was a bit nervous, seeing as how I don't know anyone here, but with you watching my back and me watching yours, I'm sure we can pull through."

"Glad to hear it," said Naruto. "...Listen, I don't know if you remember, but the encouragement you gave me, about changing how the people in my...town see me...it helped me. I'd like to thank you for believing I can change them, even if we didn't know each other, and even when I had doubts. I still have a long ways to go, but people are changing."

"I remember the talk, and you're welcome," said the girl. "I'm happy to help whenever someone has need of me."

"If you don't mind me asking, you didn't know it was going to rain?"

"I forgot to check the weather this morning," the girl admits. "I would have used an umbrella, but I forgot to pack mine from home. Sorry to-"

"No, it's fine. I don't mind the company." he interrupts, giving her a light smile. This makes the girl turn red, looking away.

"S-So we're going to be living in the same dorm, huh!?" asked the blushing girl, Naruto simply nodding yes to her.

"Oh, that reminds me, we never gave each other our names the first time we met...I'm Naruto Uzumaki. What's your name?" The girl was a little bit surprised when he asked for her name. With a smile, she looks up to him and answers his question.

"Moka...Moka Akashiya. It's nice to meet you, Naruto Uzumaki." As the two conversed, the mysterious woman watched them from atop one of the campus buildings. Saying nothing, she disappears in a quick flash of light.

* * *

 **NARUTO UZUMAKI AND FRIENDS WILL RETURN IN PART II: ADVENTURES OF NINJA**

* * *

 **Part I is complete and Part II will begin. I will say that Part II will be an anthology of adventures for not only Naruto, but his friends. In it, Naruto, while in Los Angeles, will deal with threats from time to time, all in the form of UltraTech, and then some. He's not alone, though. Characters like Moka Akashiya, Xenovia Quarta, Compa, and more will help him out, though, given their backgrounds, they don't let anyone know who they are really. Compa will be the only person, whose secret these characters will tell and have her keep because she can keep any secret. ANY SECRET.**

 **Yes, Naruto has been blinded. Though temporary, he will be wearing glasses for most of it, wearing contacts when he doesn't have them and so on.**

 **Yes, Ayane sliced off Sasuke's left hand, and yes, he lost it early. He was bound to lose it the moment the kunoichi saw Naruto injured and possibly dead. To compensate, Sasuke will replace the one he lost with a cybernetic one with synthetic skin that will have pain receptors and is quite durable.**

 **The dark power Naruto used alongside the Kyuubi's chakra is the Satsui no Hado. Like Ryu from Street Fighter, Naruto IS susceptible to its power, which is powered by his anger, rage, and eventually, grief. Why grief? It'll be answered in Part II.**

 **With Naruto being unable to use chakra and ki, it gives Naruto a handicap and a reason to leave. He just used the Nine-Tailed Fox's chakra and the Satsui no Hado,** **due to using both powerful and dark energies to fight Sasuke, he strained both his chakra network and his body. This is based on "Dragon Ball Super Episode 43", where Goku strained his body due to recklessly using his ki and strained his senses.**

 **Part II WILL have comedy moments, mainly in Naruto's part. After all, he's in Japan, things are bound to happen. When the serious stuff comes, it'll affect him greatly and carry on in Part III. Also, Part II will be the one where Naruto does the one thing he hasn't done for a long, long while.**

 **For Moka, she's the closest female character I know who can understand Naruto sue to losing a family member of her own and knowing what it's like to be a monster. She also has problems of her own like expectations, though that's remedied by the blond. I also want to base the relationship with her on Kasumi Yoshizawa's from the upcoming game, "Persona 5 The Royal", seeing that both Naruto and eventually Inner Moka will be against each other and later on be working side by side. Though I do not have a copy of the game, and am waiting patiently for it, I'd like to make things up as I go so there's that. ****The relationship between Naruto and Moka is also going to be like the ones he has with Ayane and Hinata.**

 **Regarding his training, Naruto will have training segments here and there, since I want to focus on his more human and sociable side, which will be based on the Persona series. The times where Naruto gets actions will be during the night, when he acts as a vigilante under the guise, "The Orange Ninja."**


End file.
